And seyth that he is mochel holde For whylome Theucer in a stede Grete grace socour to hym dede And sayth that he hym wold acquyte And prayth his fadre to respyte Achilles tho withdrough his hond But al the power of the lond When that they sawe hyr kyng thus take They fled hath the fâ—ld forsake The grekes vnto the chaas falle And for the moost part alle Of that countre the lordes grete They took wonne a grete beyete And anone after this vyctorye The kyng whiche had memorye Vpon the grete mercy thought Which the laphus toward hym wrouÈt And in presence of al the londe He took hym fayre by the honde And in this wyse he gan to seye My sone I mote by double weye Loue desyre thyn encrees Fyrst for thy fadre Achilles Whylome ful many a day or this When I shold fare amys Rescouse dyd in my quarele And kepte al myn estate in hele How so ther falle now dystaunce Among vs yet remembraunce I haue of mercy whiche he dede Than â–ª thou now in this stede Of gentylnes of fraunchesse Hast do mercy the same I gesse So wol I not that ony tyme Be lost of that thou hast do byme For how so this fortune falle Yet stant my trust abouen alle For the mercy whiche I now fynde That thou wolt after this â—e kynde And for that suche is myn espeyr And for my sone for myn he yre I the receyue al my lond I yeue sese in to thyn honde And in this wyse they accorde The cause was myserycorde The lordes do her obeysaunce To Thelaphus purueaunce Was made so that he was coroned And thus was mercy reguerdoned Whiche he to Theucer dyde to fore Loo this ensample is made therfore That thou myght take remembraunce My sone when thou seest a chaunce Of other mens passyon Take pyte compassyon And lete no thynge to the be leef Whiche to another man is greef And after this yf thou desyre To stonde ayene the vyce of Ire Counseyl the with pacyence And take in to thy conscyence Mercy to be thy gouernour So shalt thouâ—fynde no rancour Wherof thyn herte shal debate With homycyde ne with hate For cheste or melancolye Thou shalt be softe in companye Withoute conteck or foolhast For elles myght thou long wast Thy tyme or that thou haue thy wylle Of loue for the wedyr stylle Men preyse blame the tempestes My fadre I wol do your hestes And of this poynt ye haue me tauÈt Toward my self the better saught I thenke bewayle whyle that I lyne But for as moche as I am shryne Of wrathe al his circumstaunce Yeue that ye lyst to my penaunce And axe forther of my lyf Yf other wyse I be gyltyf Of ony thyng that toucheth synne My sone or we departe a twynne I shal behynde no thynge leue Amans My good fadre with your leue Than axe forth what you lyste For I haue in you suche tryste As ye that be my soule hele That ye fro me nothyng wol hele For I shal telle you the trouthe My sone art thou culpable of slouthe In ony poynt whiche to hym longeth My fadre of tho poyntes me longeth To wyte pleynly what they mene So that I maye me shryue clene Now herkne I shal the pointes deuyse And vnderstonde wel myn appryse For shryfte stant of no value To hym that wol hym not vertue To leue of vyces the folye For wynd is word but the maystrye Is that a man hym self defende Of thyng whiche is not to comende Wherof ben fewe now a daye And netheles so as I may Make vnto thy memorye knowe The poyntes of slouthe thou shalt knowe Explicit liber Tercius Incipit liber quartus dIcuÌ„t accidiaÌ„ fore nutriâ—em viaoruÌ„ Corpet in cunctis tarda que lenta bonis Que fieri possent hodie transfert piger in ceas Furato que prius hostia clandit equo Poscenti tardo negat emolumeÌ„ta cupi do Sed venê° in câ—beri ludit amore viri Iâ— in quarto libro loquitur con 〈◊〉 fessor de speciebus Accidie qua 〈◊〉 primam tardacionem vocat cuius â—â—â—diciouem pertractans Amanti suâ—â— hoc consequenter opponit bPon the vyces to procede After the cause ofemaÌ„nes dede The fyrst poynt of slouthe I calle Lachesse and is the chyef of alle Aud hath this properly of kynde To leuen al thyng behynde Of that he myght do now here He taryeth al the long yere And euermore he sayth to morowe And so he wol his tyme borowe And wyssheth after god me sende Than when he weneth to haue an ende Than is he forthest to begynne Thus bryngeth he many meschief Inue Vnware tyl that he be mescheued And may not than be releued And ryght so nother more ne lesse It stant ofloue of lachesse Somtyme he slouteth on a daye That he neuer after gete may Now sone as of this ylke thyng If thou haue ony knoulechyng That thou to loue hast done or this Telle on my good fadre yis As of laches I am be knowe That I may stonde vpon his rowe As I that am clad of his sute For when I thought my pursute To make therto set a day To speke vnto the swete may Lachesse bad abyde yet And bare on hond it was no wyt Ne tyme for to speke as tho Thus with his tales to fro My tyme in taryeng he drough When ther was tyme good ynough He sayd another tyme is better Thou shalt now sende here a letter And par caas wryte more pleyn Than thou by mouthe durst seyn Thus haue I lete tyme slyde For slouthe kept not my tyde So that laches with his vyce Ful of be hath made my wyt so nyce That what I thought speke or do With taryeng be â—eld me so Tyl when I wold myght nought I not what thyng is in my thought Or it was drede or it was shame But euer in ernest in game I wote ther is no long tyme passed But yet is not the loue lassed Whiche I vnto my lady haue For though my tonge is slouÈ to ocaue At al tyme as I haue bede Myn hert stant euer in one stede And axe besylyche grace The whiche I may not yet embrace And god wote it is maulgre myn For this I wote ryght wel afyn My grace cometh so selde aboute That is the slouthe whiche I doute More than of al the remenaunt Whiche is to loue appertenaunt And thus as touchend of lachesse As I haue told I me confesse To yow my fadre Eâ—byseche That ferthermore ye wol me teche And yf ther be of this matere Som goodly tale for to lere How I may do lachesse awey That ye it wold telle I prey To wysse the my sonne rede Among the tales whiche I rede An old ensample therupon Now herkne I wol telle on hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra Istos
all my deuocion And al myn contemplacion With al my herte my courage Is only set on hyr ymage And euer I wayte vpon the tyde If she loke ony thyng a syde That I me maye on hir auyse Anone I am with Couetyse So smytâ— that me were leef To be in holy chirche a theef But not to stele a vestyment For that is no thyng my talent But I wold stele yf that I myght A glad word or a goodly syght And euer my seruyce I profere And namely when she goth offre For her I lede then yf that I may For somwhat wold I stele away When I beclyppe hir on the wast Yet at the last I stele a tast And other whyle graunt mercy She seith â–ª so wynne I therby A lusty touche a good word eke But al the remenannt to seke Is fro my purpoos wonder ferre So may I say as I said erre In hooly chirche yf that I wowe My conscyence yet wold I allowe Be soo that vpon amendement I myght gete assignement Wherfore I spede in other place Suche sacrylege I hold a grace And thus my fader sooth to sey In chirche right as in the wey If I myght ought of loue take Suche hansell haue I not forsake But fynally I me confesse There is in me no holynesse Whyle I hir see in ony stede And yet for onght that euer I dede No sacrylege of hyr I took But as it were a word or looke Or els yf that I herd frede When I toward offryng hir lede Take therof what I take may For els â—ere I nought away For though I wold ought â—ls haue At other thynges ben so saue And kepte with suche a pryuelege That I may doo no sacrylege God wote my wylle netheles Though I must nedes kepe pees And in all gree sone myn lete it passe My wyl therto is not the lasse For I myght otherwyse awey For thy my fader I yow prey Telle what thou thynkest therupon If I therof haue gylt or none Thy wylle my sone is for to blame The remenaunt is but a game That I haue the told as yet But take this lere in to thy wyt That all thyng hath tyme stede The whiche serueth for the bede â—â—e Chambre is of another speche But yf thou wystest of the wreche How sacrylege it hath abought Tâ—ow sholdest vse it ryght nought And for thou shalt the more amende A tale on the I wol dispende Hic in amoris causa super istius vi 〈◊〉 articulo ponit exemplum Et narrat pro â—o quod paris prâ—ami Regis filius â—â—â—â—nam menelai vxorem in quadaÌ„ gâ—â—at Insula a templo veneris sacrile â—â—s abduxit illa Troye famosissima â—â—sidie per vniuersum orbis climita di nulgata precipue causabat ita qd huiusmodi sacrilegium non solum ad ipsius Regis patriam omnium az suoruÌ„ interitum Sed ad perpetuam vrbis de solacionem vindicem fomitem ministrabat tO al men as who saith know It is in the world thoruÈ blow How that of Troye lamedon To Hercules and to Iasen When toward Colchos oute of grâ—â—â— By see seylyng vpon a pece Of londe of Troye reste preyde But he wrongfully conueyde And for they found hym so vyleyne When they cam in to grece ageyne With power that they gete myght Towardes Troye they haue hem dyght And they took suche vengeaunce Wherof stant yet in remembraunce For they destroyed kyng alle And leften but the brent walle The grekes of Troyes many slowe And prysoners they took ynowe Among the whiche there was one The kynges doughter lamedone Esyona the fayre thynge Whiche vnto the lamon the kyng By Hercules and by the assent Of all the hole parlement Was at his wylle yeue graunted And thus hath grete Troye dannted And hym to torne in suche manere But after this now shalt thou here The cause why the tale I telle Vpon the chaunces that bifelle Kyng lamedon whiche dyed thus He had a sone one priamus Whiche was not thylke tyme at home But when he herd of this he come And fond how the Cyte was falle Whiche he bygan vpon the walle And made there a Cyte newe That they whiche other londes knewe Tho seâ—den that of lyme stone In all the world so fayre was none And on that one side of the towne The kyng lete make ylyowne That hye toure that strong place Whiche was adrad of no manace Of quarell none nor of engyne And though men wold make a myne No mans craft it myght approche For it was set vpon a roche The walles of the Towne aboute Hem stode of al the world no doute And after the proporcyon Syx gates were there of the toun Of suche enforme of suche entayle That hem to see was grete meruaylâ— The dyches were brode depe And fewe men it myght kepe From al the world as semeth tho But yf the goddes weren foo Grete prees vnto that Cyte drowe So that there was of peple ynowe Of burgeys that therin dwellen There may no mans tong tellen How that Cyte was ryche of good When all was made all wel stood Kyng Pryâ—mus tho hym bethought What they of grece whylome wrought And what was of hir swerd deuoured And how his suster dishououred With thelamon awey was ladde And he thynkyng he wex vnglad And set anone a parlement To whiche the lordes were assent In many a wyse there was spoke How that they myghten ben awroke But at the last netheles They seid al acord and pees To setten eyther party in rest It thought hem al for the best With resonable amendement And thus was Anthenor forth sent To aske Esyona ageyne And wyte what they wold seyne So passeth he the see by barge To grece for to sey his charge The whiche he said redyly Vnto the lordes by and by But where he spak in grece aboute He herd not but wordes stoute And namelyche of Thelamon The mayden wold he not for gone He said for no maner thynge And bad hym gone home to his kyng For there gate he none amende For ought he couthe doo or sende This Anthenor ayene goth home Vnto his kyng when he come He told in grece what that he herd And how that thelamon answerd And how they were at hir aboue That they wol neyther pees ne loue But euery man shall done his best But for men seyen that nyght hath rest The kynge bythought hym all the nyÈt And erly when the day was lyght He took his counceyll of this matere And they acord in this manere That he withouten ony let A certeyne tyme shold set A parlement to ben auysed And in this wyse it was anysed Of parlement he set a day And that was in the moneth of may This priamus had in his sight A wyf Hecuba she hyght By whome that tyme she he Sones fyue had doughters thre Beside two and thyrty mo And weren knyghtes al
he sawe that ymage tho And taketh in his armes two And it embraceth hym ageyne And to the kyng thus gan it seyne Vlixes vnderstood wel thâ—s The token of oure acqueyntaunce is Here afterward to mochel tene The loue that is vs bitwene Of that we now suche ioye make That one of vs the deth shal take When deth cometh of destyne It may none other wyse be Vlixes tho began to praye That this figure wold hym saye What wyght he is that seyth hym so This wyght vpon a spere tho A pensel whyte was wel bigone Enbrowdred shewed hym anone Thre fysshes all of one coloure In manere as it were a toure Vpon the pensel were wrought Vlixes knewe this token nought And praid to wyte in somme partyâ— What thyng it myght â—ygnyfye A signe it is whiche answered Of an empyre and forth it ferd Al sodenly when he that said Vlyxes oute of slepe he brayd And that was ryght ayene the day That lenger slepen he ne may Ayene a man hath knowlechyng Saue of hym self of all thyng His owne chaunce no man knoweth But as fortune it on hym throweth Was yet neuer so wyse a Clerke Whiche myght knowe al goddes werk Ne the secrete whiche god hath sette Ayene a man may not be lette Vlyxes though that he be wyse With all his wytte in his auyse The more that he his sweuen acounteth The lesse he wote what it amounteth For all his calculacion He seeth none demonstracion Al pleynly for to knowe an ende But netheles how so it wende He drad hym of his owne sone That maketh hym wel the more astone And shope therof anone with all So that within a castel walle Thelamon his sone he shette Tyl he myght knowe the bette The sooth for there he ne knewe Til that fortune hym ouerthrewe But netheles for sykernesse Where that he myght wyte gesse A place strengest in his londe There lete he make of lyme sonde A strengthe where he wold dwelle Was neuer man yet herd telle Of suche another as it was And for to strengthe hym in that cas Of al his â—onde the sykerest Of seruanntes and of the worthyest To kepe hym within ward He charged hem they sholden harde And make suche an ordynaunce For loue ne for acqueyntaunce That were it erly were it late They shold bete in at the yate No mauer man what so betydde But it so were hym self it bydde But al that myght hym not auaylâ— For whome fortune wyll assayle There may be no resistence Whiche myght a man make defence That al shall be must fal algate This Cyrces whiche I spake of tate On whome Vlyxes hath bigete A childe though he it haue foryete When tymâ— came as it was wonne She was delyuerd of a sonne Whiche cleped is thelogonus The child when he was bore thus Aboute his moder to ful age That he can reson and langage In good estate was drawe forth And when he was so mochel wâ—â—th To stonde in a mannes stede Circes his moder hath hym bede That he shall to his fader go And told hym al to geder tho What man he was that hym begaâ— And when â—lelogonus herd that Was ware had ful knowlechyng How that his fader was a kyng He prayd his moder fayre this To go where that his fader is And she hym graunted that he shall And made hem redy forth with all It was that tyme suche vsaunce That euery man the congâ—ysaunce Of his Countre bare in his honde When he went in to straunge londe And thus was euery man therfore Well knowe where that he was bore For espyall or mystâ—o wynges They dyde than suche thynges That euery man may other knowe Sâ—o it bifelle in that throwe Thelogonus as in this cas Of his Contre the signe was Thre fisshes whiche he sholde bere Vpon the pynon of a spere And when he was thus arrayd And had his harneys all assayd That he was redy euerydele His moder bad hym fare wele And said hym that he shold sâ—ythe His fader grete a thousand â—ythe Thelogonus his moder kyâ—â— And took his leue where he wyst His fader was the way he name Til he vnto Nachare came Whiche of that lond the chyef Cyte Was cleped there asketh he Where was the kyng how he ferde And when that he the sooth herde Where that the kyng Vlixâ—s was Alone vpon his hoâ—s grete paas He roodâ— hym forth in his honde He bare the signall of his londe With fisshes thre as I haue told And thus he went in to that hold Where that his owne fader dwelleth The cause why he came he telleth Vnto the kepars of the gate And wold haue cemen in ther ate But shortely they hym said nay And as fayre as euer he may Besought told hem of this How that the kyng his fader is But they with proude wordes grete Biganne to manace and threte But he go fro the gate fast They wold hym take and set fast Fro wordes vnto strokes thus They felle so that Thelogonus Was sore hurte wel nyhe dede But with his sharp speres hede He maketh defence how so it falle And wan the yate vpon hem alle And hath slayne of the best fyue And they aseryeden as belyue Thorugh oute the castel al aboute On euery syde men came oute Wherof the kynges herte aflyght And he with al the hast that he myght A spere caught oute he goeth As he that nyhe was woode wroth He sawe the yates ful of blood Thelogonus where he stood He sawe also but he ne knewe What man he was and to hym threwe His spere he sterte oute asyde But desteny whiche shold betyde Befelle that ylke tyme so Thelogonus knewe no thyng tho What man it was that to hym cast And whyles his owne spere last With al the signe therupon He cast vnto the kyng anone And smote hym with a dedely wouÌ„de Vlixâ—s felle anone to grounde Tho euery man the kyng the kyng Began to crye of this thyng Thelogonus whiche sawe the caas On knees felle seid alas I haue myn owne fader slayn Now I wold deye wonder faynâ— Now slee me who that euer wylle For certes it is right good skylle He cryeth he wepeth he seid therfore Alas that euer was I bore That this vnhappy destyne So wofully cometh in by me This kyng which yet hath life ynougâ— His herte ayene vnto hym drough And to that voyce an ere he leyd And vnderstood all that he seid And gan to speke said on hyghe Bryng me this man whan he syghe Thelogonus his thought he set Vpon the sweuen whiche he met And axeth that he myght see His spere on whiche the fysshes thre He sawe vpon a pensel wrought Tho wyst he wel it faileth nought And bad hym that he telle shold Fro whens he came what he wold Thelogonus in sorowe woo So as he myght told
in wooful plyte And aâ— I sawe in my spyryte Me thought emonge other thus The doughter of kyng pryamus Poâ—xâ—na whom pyrrus slough Was there made sorow y nough As she which deyed gyltelis For â—oue yet was loueles And for to take the dysporte I sawe there somme of other porte And that was Circes calypse That coude done the mone clypse Of mâ—n chaunge the sykenesse Of arâ—emagique sorceresse They helde in honde many one To loue whether they wold or none But aboue al woÌ„men that there were Of wommen â— sawe foure there Who 's name be here moost coÌ„mended By hem the courte stode al amended Forth were they come in presence Men dyd theym the reueremce As though they had ben goddesses Of al the world or empresses And as me thought an ere I leyde And herd how that this other seyde Lo thyes ben the foure wyues Who 's feyâ—h was proued in hâ—r lyues For in ensaumple of al goode With mariage so they stode That fame which no grete thing hideth Yet the cronyke of hem abydeth Penolope the oone was hate Whom many a knyght had loued hote Whyle that hir lorde vlyxes lay Ful many a yere and many a day Vpon the grete syege of troye But she which had no worldes ioye But onely of hir husbond Whyle that her lorde was out of londe So wel she kept her womanhede That al the world therof toke hede And namelyche of them in grece That other woman was lucrece Wyfe to the romayn collatyne And she constreyned of tarquyne To thyng which was ayenst hir wyll She wold not hir seluen styll But deyed only for drede of shame In kepyng of hir goode name As she which was one of the beste The thyrd wyfe was hote alceste Which whan ametus shold dye Vpon his grete maladye She prayed vnto the goddes so That she resceyueth al the wo And deyed hir self to gyue hym lyfe So was this thenne a noble wyfe The fourrth wyfe which I there syghe I herde of them that were nyghe How she was clered alsione Which to seix hir lorde allone And to no mo hiâ— body kept And whaÌ„ she saw hym dreÌ„che she lepte Vnto the wawes where he swam And there a sce foul she becam And with hir wynges she hym bespâ—â—d For loue that she to hym had Loo thyse foure weren tho Which I sawe as me thought tho Emonge the grete companye Whiche loue had for to gye But yongthe whiche in special Of loues courte was marchal So â—â—sy was vpon his laye That he none hede where he laye Hath take than as I behelde Me thought I sawe vpon the feldâ— Where â—lde came a softe paâ—â— Toward venus there as she was With hym grete companye he ladde But not so fele as yongthe had The moste parte were of grete age And that was sene in her vysage And not for thy so as they myght They made hem yongely to the syght But yet I herde no pypers there To make myrthe in mannes 〈◊〉 But the â—â—nsyque I myght knowe For olde men which solbned lolbe With harpe lute â—ytole The houe daunce the caâ—â—le In suche a wyse as loue hath bede A softe paas they daunce trede And with the wymmâ—n otherwhyle With sobre there â—monge they smyle For laughter was there none on hye And netheâ—â—es ful wel I sye That they the more queynte it made For loue in whom they weren glade And there me thought I myght see The kyng dauyd with bersale And salamon was not without Passyng an hundreth in a route Of wyues of concubynes Iewesses eke and sarazyns To hym I sabe al Intendaunt I note where he was suffysaunt But nethâ—lees for al his wytte He was attached with that writte Which loue with his honde â—nseâ—eth From whom none erthly maÌ„ appeâ—eth And ouer this as for a wonder With his lâ—on whiche he put vnder With dalyda sampson I knewe Who 's loue his strength al ouerthrâ—wâ— I sawe there arystotle also Whom that the quene of grece so Hath brydeled that in thylke tyme She made hym suche a sylagesyme That he foryate al his â—ogyque Ther was none arte of his practyque Thorugh which he myght be excluded That he ne was fully concluded To loue dyd his obeysaunce And eke vyrgyle of acqueyntaunce I sawe where he the mayden preyd Which was the doughter as men seyde Of themperour whyâ—om of come Sortes plato with hym come So dyd Ouyde the poete I thought thenne how loue is swete Which hath so wyse men reclamed And was my self the lasse ashamed Or for to lese or for to wynne In the myschyef that I was in And thus I layâ— in hope of grace And whan they came to the place Where venus stode I was falle This olde men with one voyce 〈◊〉 To venus prayden formy sake And she that myght not forsake So grete a clamour as was there Leâ—e pyte come in 〈◊〉 ere And forth with al vnto cupyde She prayeth that she vpon his syde Me wold thorugh his grace sende SoÌ„me comforte that I myght amende Vpon the â—â—as which is byfalle And thus for me they preyden alle Of hem that weren olde aboute And eke somme of the yonge rowâ—â— And of gentylesse pure trouthe I herd hem telle it was grete couthe That I withouten helpe so ferdâ— And thus me thought I laye herde Hic traciat qualiter câ—pito amaÌ„tis senectâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Viscera pâ—rscâ—â—tâ—ns ignita sâ—â— concupisâ—â—cie tela ab â—o peni tus extraxit quem venus postea abâ—â—â—â—â—lore percipiens vacuum reliquid Et sic tandem prouisa senectus racionem inuocans hominem interiorem per pâ—â—ns amore infatuatum mentis sanitati pâ—enius restaurauit cVpide which may hurt hele In loues cause as for my hele Vpon the poynte which I hym prâ—yde Came with venus where I was leyde So swownyg vpon the grene gras And as me thought anone there was On euery side so grete prees That euery lyf began to prees I wote not wel how many score Suche as I spake of now toforâ— Louers that comen to beholde But moste of hem that â—en olde They stoden there that at ylke tydâ— To see what ende shal betyde Vpon the cure of my sotye There myght I here grete partyâ— Spe kyng eche his owne aduyâ— Hath tolde one that another this But emonge al this I herde They weren woo that I so ferde And sayden that for no ryote An olde man shold not assoâ—â— For as they tolden redyly There is in hym no cause why But yf he wold hym self be nyâ—â— So were he wel the more nyce And thus despuâ—â—n somme of tho And somme â—ayden no thynge so But that the wylde loues rage In maÌ„nes lyf forbereth none age Whyle there is oyle for to fyre The lampes be lyghtly set a fyre And is ful hard or it be queynte But onely yf it be somme seynte And thus me thouâ—t in sondry place God
tHis book is intituled confessio amantie that is to saye in englysshe the confessyon of the louer maad and compyled by Iohan Gower squyer borne in walys in the tyme of kyng richard the second which book treteth how he was confessyd to Genyus preest of venus vpon the causes of loue in his fyue wyttes and suum dedely synues as in thys sayd book al alonge appyereth and by cause there been comprysed therin dyuers hystories and fables towchyng euery matere I haue ordeyned a table here folowyng of al suche hystoryes and fables where and in what book and leef they stande in as here after foloweth Fyrst the prologue how Iohan goldeâ— in the xvj yere of kyng rychard the second beâ—â—n to make thys book and dyrected to haâ—â—â— of lancastre thenne erle of derby folio ij Of the state of the royames temporally the sayd yere folio iij Of the state of the clergye the tyme of robert gyllonensis namyng hym self elemente thenne antipope folio iij Of the estate of the comyn people folio v How he treteth of the ymage that nabugodonosor save in his sleep hauyng 〈…〉 d of 〈…〉 a breste of syluer a â—â—â—y of 〈…〉 legges of yron and â—eet 〈…〉 halfe erthe folio vj Of the 〈…〉 tacion of the dreme and how the world was fyrst of golde after alwey worse werse folio vj Thus endeth the prologue Here begynneth the book â— And fyrst the auctor nameth thys book confessio amantis that is to say the shryfte of the louer wheron alle thys book shal shelâ—e not onely the loue humayn but also of alle lyuyng beestys naturally folio ix How cupydo smote Iohan Gower with a fyry arowe and wounded hym so that venus commysed to hym genyus hyr preest for to here hys confessyon folio x How Genyus beyng sette the loueâ— knelyng tofore hym prayeth the sayd confessor to appose hym in his confessyon folio xj The confessyon of the amant of two of the pryncipalâ—st of his fyue â—oyttes folio xi How atheon for lokyng vpon Deane was turned in to an herte folio xj Of phorâ—eus and hys thre doughters whiche had but one eye how phorâ—eus slelâ—e them folio xij How the serpente that bereth the charbuneâ—e stoppeth his one ere wyth hys tayle and that other wyth the erthe whan he is â—nchaunted folio xij How vlyxes esâ—â—ped fro the marmaâ—dens by stoppyng of hys eerys folio xij How foloweth that there ben vij dedely synnes of whome the fyrste is pryde hauyng dyuerse spices and the fyrst is ypocresye â—â—hos properte the confessor declareth to the amant folio xiij Here treateth the confessor with the amant how somme there be that deceyue fraudulently by ypocresye â—fâ—e Innocente wymmen fâ—â—â—o xiiij How a knyght of Rome named mun â—us by fayned ypocresye defowled one â—aulyne the most chaste wyf of rome by the mene of two false preestys folio xiiij How by â—â—e colour of sacrefyse the gre â—â—s â—an â—râ—ye in offryng of an hors of â—ms by whiche the cyte was destâ—â—yedâ— and tâ—ynâ—â— by tantes sleyâ—e â—â—â—e vnder fayned ypocresye â—o xvj Here â—e telleth of the second spyce of pryde named Inobedyence declareth the nature of this vyce folio xvij â—â— two vyces longyng to Inobedyence whiche serue to hym as secrete mynysâ—â—â— and they ben murmur and com 〈◊〉 folio xviij â—◠〈◊〉 neuewe to the Empereu◠〈◊〉 â—â—â— obedyence deformed the kynges 〈◊〉 of Secyle whyche 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 â—ad been transformed 〈◊〉 xviij Here â—e speketh of the thyrd spyce of 〈◊〉 whiche is surquedrye and declareth it to the amant folio xxj Of the kâ—â—ygâ—â— Campaneus whyche was for his surquedrye â—â—ente by fyre â—â—mâ—ng fro heuen at the syege of thefes folio xxj Here he telleth an ensaunmple of a kyng of hungarye whiche humbled hym to â—oure men wherof his â—â—â—der rebuked hym and how the kynge by hys merueylous wysdom chastysed hys â—â—â—der folio xxij How narasus after his huntyng had grete thyrste and dranke of a welle wherin he sawe his owne face on whiche he enamoâ—red wenyng it had ben a nymphe and how for his beaute â—e deyed folio xxiij Here he speketh of the fourth spyce of pryde named auantance and sheweth the nature of thys vyce folio xxiiij How albyne kynge of the lombardes after he had sleyne gurmonde a kyng he maad a cuppe of the seulle of hys heed and toke Rosemunde hys doughter in mariage and after he maad hyr for to drynke of the cuppe maad of hyr faders sâ—ulle wherfore he was afterward sleyne folio xxiiij Here the coÌ„fessor speketh of the fifthe spyce of pryde whyche is called vayne glorye and sheweth the nature of the vyce in the cause of loue to the amant folio xxvj How Nabugodonosor beyng in hys moste glorye god châ—sâ—yâ—â—d his pride and transformed hym in to a beeâ—â— â—â—yng heye and soo abode seuen yere or he was restored to hys helthe and royame folio xâ—â—â—â— How a prudent kyngâ— demaunded thre questyons of one of hys knyghtes vpon hys heed whiche were assoyled by hys doughter and for her wysdom the kyng wedded hyr folio xxviij Here endeth the fyrst book And here foloweth the second book Here the confessor â—eâ—â—th of the synne of enuye and of his spytes of whiche the fyrste is sorowe of another maÌ„nes we le folio xxxj How polyphemus for enuye that he sawe Aâ—â— spekynge wyth galathe threwe and caste on acis a grete roche and slewe hym and whan he wold haue rauysshed Galathe Neptunus kepte hyr fro polyphem folio xxxj Of the second spyce of enuye whyche is ioye of other mennes sorowe and telleth of the nature of the vice in cause of loue folio xxxij How Iupiter sente his aungel to two enuyous men one couetous and that other enuyous folio xxxij Of the thyrd spyce of enuye named detraccion folio xxxij How constaunce the doughter of the emperour was sente to the sowdan of surrye and of her meruaylous aduentures folio xxxiij Of the enuye and detraccion betwene perseus and Demetryus sones of phelyp kyng of maâ—edone and how that one caused that other to be slayne folio xl Here treteth the confessor of the fourth spyce of enuye whyche is callyd dyâ— symylacyon and telleth his nature folio xlj How hercules wyth deyanyra was deceyued of nessus at a ryuer in beryng aweye Deyanyra and of the sherte by whiche herculâ—â—â— after had his deth folio xliij Here he treteth of the fyfthe spyce of 〈◊〉 called supplantacion and telleth of his nature folio xliiij Of geta and amphytrion folio xlv How an emperours sone of rome was suppâ—◠〈◊〉 by his felowe of the sow dan◠〈◊〉 by tellyng to hym hys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xlv How 〈◊〉 â—â—pe boneface supplanted 〈◊〉 celestyn his predecessour wherfor afterward he was in grete myserye of hunger and thurste 〈◊〉 folio xlvij How Ioab capeteyn of the hoost of dauyd slewe abner and Achytofel for enuye that he had that câ—usy was preferred henge hym self folio xlix How the confessor wryteth the naturâ—
Empyre As he that was lord Syre And held thorugh his chyualrye Of al the world the monarchye And was the fyrst of that honour Whiche taketh name of the Emperour De seculo ferreo quod in tibeis de signatum est a tempore Iulij Cesaris vsque in Regnum Carosâ— magni Regis Franâ—orum wHere Rome than wold assaylle Ther myÈt no thyng contreuaâ—â—â—e But euery contrey must obeye Tho goth the regne of bras aweye And comen is the world of steel And stode aboue vpon the whelâ— As steel is hardest in his kynde Aboue al other that men fynde Of metalles suche was Rome tho The myghtyest last so Longe tyme among the Romayns Tyl they bycome so vyleyns That the fals emperour leo With ConstauÌ„ce his sone also The patâ—monâ—â— the Rychesse Whiche to syluester in pure Almesse The fyrst Constantinus lefte Fro holy chirche they be refte But Adryan whiche pope was And sawe the meschyef of this caas Goth in to FrauÌ„ce for to playne And prayth the grete Charâ—emayne For Crystes sake soule helâ— That he wold take the quarele Of holy chirche in his defence And Charles for the reuerence Of god the cause hath vndertake And with his hoost the waye take Ouer the MouÌ„tes of Lumbardye Of Rome al the Tyrannye With bbody swerd he ouercome And the strengthe of the Cyte nome In suche a wyse ther he wrought That holy chirche ayene he brought In to Fraunchyse dâ—thr restore The popes lust yaf hym more And thus whan he his god hath serued He toke as he hath wel deseruyd The dyademe was â—orouned Of Rome thus was abandouned Th empyre whiche cam neuer agayne In to the honâ— of no Romayn But a long tyme it sâ—oode stylle Vnder the Frensâ—he kynges wylle Til that fortune hir whele so lad That afterward the lumbardes it had NouÈt by the swerd but by the suffrauÌ„ce Of hym that was kyng of Fraunce Whiche Carl Caluuâ— clepyd was And resygned in this caas Th empyre of Rome vnto Lowys His Cosyn whiche a lumbard is And so it last in to the yere Of Alberte of Berenger De seculo nouâ—ssimis iam temporibus ad similitudinem pedum in discordiam lapso et diuiso quod post decessuÌ„ ipsius Caroli cum Imperium Roma norum in manus Longobardorum ê‘uenerat tempore Alberti Berengarij incepit Nam ob eorum diuisioneÌ„ contingit vt Almani Imperatoriam adepti sunt Magestatem in cuius soâ—â—uÌ„ quenda in principem Theonicum Otho nem nomine sublimari prinâ—tus constituerunt bVt than vpâ—n discencion They felle in dyuysyon AmoÌ„g hem self that were grete So that they lost the beyete Of worship of Worldes pees But m prouerbe netheles Men seyn â–ª ful selde is that welthe Can suffre his owne astate in helthe And that was in the lumbardes seen Suche comon stryf was hem bytween Thorough couetyse thorugh ennye That euery man drough his partye Whiche myght lede ony route Within Burgh and eke withoute The comen ryght hath no feloowe So that the gouernaunce of lawe Was lâ—st for necessyte Of that they stode m suche degre Al only thurgh deuysyon Hem nedeth in conclusion Of straunge londes helpe beside And thus for they hem self deuyde And standen oute of reâ—le vneuen Of Almayne Prynces seuen â—â—â— chosen m this condycyon That vpon her electyon Th empyre of Rome shold stondâ— And thus they left it out of honde For lak of grace and it forsoke That Almayns vpon hem toke And to confermen here astate Of that they stoden in debate They toke it the possession After the composicion Among hem self and therupon They made an Emperour that anon Who 's name the Cronycle telleth Wae Othee and so forâ—â— it duelleth For fro thylk day yet vnto this Th empyre of Rome hath be is To thalamans in this wyse As to fore ye hane herde deuyse How Danyel the sweuene expouneth Of that ymage whome he foundeth The world whiche afterward shold falle Comen is the last token of alle Vpon the feete of erthe stele So stant the world now euery dele Departed whiche bygan ryght tho Whan Rome was deuyded soâ— And that is for to rewe sore For alwey syth more more The world empeyreth euery day Wherof the soth she we may At Rome yf we begynne The walle the Cyte withynne Stand m ruyne in decaas The feld is where the paleys was The tonne is wast ouer that If we behold thylke astate Whiche whylome was of the romayns Of knyghthode of Cytezeyne To peyse now with that byforne The chaf is tâ—ke from the corne And for to speke of Romes myght Vnnethes stant ther ought vpryght Of worship or of worldes good As it byfore tyme stode And why the worship is away If that a man the sothe say The cause hath ben deuysyon Whiche moder of confusyon Is where she comyth oueral Nought only of the â—â—mporal But of the spyrytual also The dede proueth it ie so And hath do many a day or this Thorugh venym which that medled is In holy chirche of erthely thynge For Cryst hym self maketh knowlechyng That nomaÌ„ may to geder serue God the world bnt he swerue Froward that one stond vnstable And Crystes word may not be falle The thyng so open is at the eye It nedeth nought to specyfye Or speke ought more in this mater And in this wyse a man may tere How that the world is gone aboute The whiche wel nyghe is wered oute After the forme of that fygure Whiche danyel in his scupture Expowned as to fore is told Of bras of syluer of gold â–ª The world is passed a gone And now vpon his old tone It stant of brutel erthe stele The whiche acorden neuer a dele So mote it nedes swerue a syde A thyng whiche men seen deuyde Hic dicit secunduÌ„ aplÌ„m ê™ nos sumê° In quos fines seculi deuenerunt â–ª tHappostel writeth vnto vs alle And saith that vpoÌ„ vs is falle Th ende of the world so may we knowe This ymage is nyghe ouerthrowe By which this world was sygnefyed That whysome so was magnyfyed And now is old feble vyle Ful of meschyef of perylle And stant deuyded eke also Lyche to the feet that were so As I told of the statue aboue And thus men seyn for lak of loue Where as the lond deuyded is It more algace fare amys And now to loke on euery syde A man may see the world deuyde The werres â—en-so general Among the Crystene oueral That euery man now secheth wreche And yet these clerkes alday preche And seyn good dedes may none be Whiche stant nought vpon charyte I not how charyte shold stonde Where dedely werre is taken on honde But al this wo is cause of man The whiche that wytte reson can And in tokne in wytnesse That eche ymage bare lykensse
fayre of stature Lyche to an heuenlyche fygure And of maner of goodly speche Though men wold al londes seche They shold not haue founden her lyke She sawe hir fadre sorowe syke And wyst not the cause why So cam she to hym pryuely And that was where he made his mone Within a gardyn al hym one Vpon hyr knees she gan doune falle With humble hert to hym calle And sayd O good fadre dere Why make ye thus heuy chere And I wote nothyng how it is And wel ye knowe fadre this What auenture that yow felle Ye myght it saufly to me telle For I haue ofte herd you sayd That ye suche trust haue on me layd That to my suster ne to my brother In al this world ne to none other Ye durst haue told a pryuete So wel my fadre as to me For thy my fadre I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert awaye For I am she that wold kepe Your honour with that wepe Hyr eye may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her fadre so mystryst To tellen hyr of that he wyst And euer among mercy she cryede That he ne shold his counseylle hyde From hyr that so wold hym good And was so nyghe flesshe blood So that wepyng at the laste His chere vpon his child he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He told his tale thus he sayde The sorowe doughter whiche I make Is not al only for my sake But for the both for you alle For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shal or this thyrd day Lese al that euer I lese may My lyf al my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so What is the cause alas quod she My fadre that ye sholden be Deed destroyed in suche a wyse And he bygan the poyntes deuyse Whiche as the kyng told hym by mouth And sayd hyr pleynly that he couth Ansuere to no poynt of this And she that hereth how it is Hyr counseyl yafe sayd tho My fadre syn it is so That ye can none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wold pray of you a thyng Late me go with yow to the kyng And ye shal make hym vnderstonde Hou ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue leyd ansuere vpon me And telle hym in suche degre Vpon my word ye wol abyde Tho to lyue or deye what so betyde For yet per chaunce I maye purchace With som good word the kynges grace Your lyf eke your good to saue For ofte shal a woman haue Thyng which that a man may not areche The fadre herd the doughters speche And thought ther was reson ynne And sawe his owne lyf to wynne He reuthe done hym self no cure So better hym thought in auenture To put hym al his good Than in the maner as it stood His lyf in certeyne for to lese And thus thynkend he bygan to chese To do the counseyll of this mayde And eke the purpoos whiche she saide The day was come forth they gone Vnto the Court they come anone Where as the kyng in his Iugement Was set hath this knyght asent Arrayed in the best wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Hyr fadre led by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kyng with other whiche he wolde And to the kyng knelend he tolde As he enformed was to fore And prayth the kyng that he therfore His daughters wordes wol take And sayth that he wol vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stonde Tho was ther grete meritayl on honde That he whiche was soo wyse a knyÈt His lyf vpon so yong a wyght Be set wold in Ieopardye And many it helde for folye But at the last neuertheles The kyng commaunded to be in pees And to this mayde he cast his chere And seyd he wold hyr tale here And bad hyr speke she bygan My lyege lord so as I can Quod she the poyntes whiche I herde They shal of reson be ansuerde The first I vnderstond is this What thyng of al the world it is Whiche men moost helpe lest nede My lyege lord this wold I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo With mannys labour is vego As wel in wynter as in maye The mannes honde what he maye To helpe it forth make it ryche And for thy men it delue dyche And eren it with strengthe of plough Where it hath of hym self ynough So his nede is at the lest For euery man byrd best And flour gras rote rynde And euery thyng by wey af kynde Shal sterue erthe it shal bycome As it was oute of the erthe nome It shal to erthe torne ageyne And thus I may by reson seyne That therthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lord touchand of this I haue ansuerd how it is That other poynt I vnderstood Whiche most is worth most is good And costeth a man lest to kepe My lord yf ye wol take kepe I say it is Humylyte Thorugh whiche the hyghe Trynyte As for deserte of trewe loue Vnto Mary from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sone a doune he sent Aboue al other hyr he chese For that vertu whiche that bedeth pees So that I maye by reson calle Humylyte is most worthyest of alle And lest it costeth to mayntene In al the word as it is sene For who that hath humblesse vn hende He bryngeth no werâ—e in to londe For he desyreth for the best To set euery man in rest Thus with youre hyghe reuerence Me thynketh that this euydence As to this poynt is suffysaunt And touchend of the remenaunt Whiche is the thyrd of your askynges What lest is worth of al thynges And â—osteth most I telle it pryde Whiche may not in the heuene abyde For Luafer with hym it felle Bar Pryde with hym in to helle Ther was pryde of to grete a cost Whan he for pryde hath heuen lost And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde he lost his pryce In myddel erthe eke also Pryde is the cause of al We That al the world it may suffyse So stant of pryde the repryse Pryde is the heed of al synne Whiche wasteth all may not wynne Pryde is of euery mys the pryk Pryde is the worst of al wyck And costeth most lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayd that I wol sey Of myn ansuere to yow prey Myn lyege lord of your offyce That ye shal grace suche Iustyce Ordeyne for my fadre here That after this men it here The world therof may say good The kyng whiche reson vnderstood And hath al herd whiche she hath said Was inly glad so wel payd That al his wrath is ouer go And he bygan to loke tho Vpon this mayde in the face In whiche he founde so mochel
the scottes for to fonde The werre whiche he toke on honde Qualiter Regina Constancia infaÌ„tem masculum queÌ„ in baptismo Mau ricium â—ocant Rege absente enixa est Sed inuida mater Regis Domilda super isto facto condolens mendacibus regi certificauit ê™ vxor sua demoniaci et non humani generis quondam monstruosum fantasma locum geniture ad ortum produxit huiusmodique detractoâ—ibus aduersus Constanciam procurauit qd ipsa in nauim qua prius venerat iterum ad exilium vna cum suo par tu remissa desolabatur tHe tyme set of kynde is come This lady hath hyr chaÌ„bre nome And of a sone borne ful Wherof that she was ioyeful She was delyuerd sauf sone The bisshop as it was to done Yaf hym baptysme Morys calleth And therupon as it byfalleth With lettecs wryten of record They sent vnto her lyege lord That kepers weren of the quene And he that shold go bytwene The messager to knaresburgh Whiche Towne he shold posse thorugh Rydend he cam the fyrst daye The kynges modre there laye Who 's ryght name was Domylde Whiche after al the cause spylde For he whiche thanke deserue wolde Vnto this lady goth tolde Of his message how it ferde And she with feyned ioye it herde And yafe hym yeftes largely But in the nyght al pryuely She took his lettres whiche he had Fro poynt to poynt ouer rad And she that was thuruÈ oute vntrewe And do wryte other newe In stede of hem thus they speke Prima littera in commendacione n Constancie ab episcopo Regi missa per Domildam in contrarium falsata Oure lyege lord we the beseke That thou with vs ne be not wroth Though we suche thyng as is the loth Vpon oure trouthe certyfye Thy wyf whiche is of fayrye Of suche a child delynerd is Fro kynde whiche stant al amys But for it shold not be seye We haue it kepte oute of the weye For drede of pure worldes shame A power childe in the name Of thylke whiche is so mysbore We took therto we be swore That none but only thou we Shal knowe of this pryuete Morys it hatte thus men wene That it was borne of the quene And of thy owne body gete But this thyng may not be foryete That thou ne send vs word anon What is thy wylle therupon This letter as thou hast herd deuyse Was counterfete in suche a wyse That no man shold it perceyue And she whiche thought to deceyue It leyde where she that other toke This messager when he awoke And wâ—st no thynge how it was He â—oos â—ood the grete pas And took his lettres to the kyng And when he saw this wondre thyng He maketh the messager no chere But netheles in wyse manere He wrote ageyne yaf hem charge That they ne suffre not at large His wyf to go but kepe hyr stylle Tyl they haue herd more of his wylle This messager was yeftles But with his letter netheles â—â— be hym leef or be hym loth In al hast ageyne he goth By â—â—naâ—â—sbuâ—â—gh as he went Vnto the modâ—â— his entent Of that he fond to ward the kynge He told she vpon this thyng Seyth that he shold abyde al nyght And made hym fest chere aryght Feyned as though she coude him thoÌ„k But he with stroÌ„g wyn which he droÌ„k Forth with the trauayle of the daye Whiche dronke a slepe whyle he laye She hath his lettres ouer saye And formed in another waye There was a newe letter wryte Secunda leâ—tâ—ra per Regem Episâ—â—â—â— missa a Domilda iterum falsata wHiche sayth do yow for to wyte That thorugh the couÌ„seyll of you two It stonde in poynt to be vndo As he whiche is a kyng deposed For euery man it hath supposed How that my wyf Constance is faye And yf that I feyne the delaye To put hyr oute of companye The worship of my regalye Is lore ouer this they telle Here child shal not amoÌ„g yow dwelle To claymen ony herytage So can I see none auauntage But al is lost yf she abyde For thy to loke on euery syde Toward the meschyef as it is I charge yow byd this That ye the same ship vytaylle In whiche that she toke arryuaylle Theryn putteth both two Hyr self forth with hyr child also And so forth brought in to the depe Be taketh hyr the see to kepe Of foure dayes tyme set That ye this thyng no lenger let So that youre lyf be not forfete And thus this letter counterfete The messagyer whiche was vnware Vpon the kynges halue bare And where he shold it haue bytake But when that they hede take And rad that wryten is withynne So grete a sorowe they begynne As they her owne modre seyen Brenne in a fyre byfore theyr eyen There was wepyng ther was wo But fynally the thyng is do Vpon the see they haue here brought But she the cause wyst nought And thus vpon the flood they wone This lady with her yong sone And than her handes to the heuene She straught with a mylde steuene Knelend vpon hyr bare kne She sayd O hyghe mageste Whiche seest the poynt of euery trouth Take of thy woful woman routh And of thylk childe which I shal kepe And with that word she bygan to wepe Swouned as dede there she lay But he whiche al thynges may Comforteth hyr at the last She loketh her eyen cast Vpon hyr child sayd this Of me no maner charge it is What sorowe I suffre but of the Me thynketh it is grete pyte For yf I sterue thou shalt deye So mote I nedes by that weye For moderhode 7 for tendrenesse With al myn hole besynesse Ordeyne me for this offyce As she whiche shal be thy Noryce Thus was she strengthed for to stoÌ„de And thâ— she took hyr child on honde And yaf it souke but euer amonge She wepte other whyle songe To rokke with hyr child on slepe And thus her owne child to kepe She hath vnder the goddes cure Qualiter nauis Constancie post biennium in partes hispanie superior is inter SaraÈinos iactabatur In quorum manibus deus ipsam conseruans graciosissime liberauit aNd so fel vpon auenture When ylke yere hath made his ende Hyr ship so as it mote wende With streÌ„gth of wynd which god hath yine Estward was in to spayn dryue Ryght fast vnder a castel walle Where that an hethen admyralle Was lord he afterward had One Thelons whiche al was bad A fals knyght a renegate He goth to loke in what estate The shyp was comen there he fonde Forth with a child vpon hyr honde This lady where she was al one He took hede on the persone And sawe she was a worthy wyght And thought he wold vpon the nyght Demene hyr at his owne wylle And in the ship she kepte hyr stylle
whiche lad his wrath sâ—ne Hath knowe of loue but a lyte But for al that he was to wyte Thorugh his sodeyn melanoolye To do so grete a felonye For thy my sone how so it stond By this caas thou myght vnderstonâ— That yf thou euer in cause of loue Shal demâ— thou be so aboue That thou myght lede it at thy wylle Lete neuer thorugh thy wrath spylle Whiche enery kynde shold saue For it syt euery man to haue Reward to loue to his myght Ayenst whos streugthe may no wyght And syth an herte is so streyned That reddour ought to be restreyned To hym that may bet aweye When he mote to nature obeye For it is sayd thus oueral That nedes mote that nedes shal Of that a lyf doth after kynde Wherof he may no bote fynde â–ª That nature bath set in her lawe There may no maÌ„s myght withdrawe And who that worâ—heth there ayenâ— Ful oftyme it hath â—e seyne There hath byfalle grete vengeaunce Wherof I fynde a remembraunce h Ic narrat qualiter Tiresias in quodam moÌ„te duos serpentes in uenit pariteâ— commiscentes quos cum virga percussit â–ª â—â—ati dij ob hoc quam naturam impedâ—uit ipsum contra naturam forma virili in muliebrem transmâ—tarunt oVyde after the tyme tho Tolde ensample sayd soo How that whilom Tiresias As he was walkend goth par cas Vpon an hyghe Mounteyn he syghe Two serpentes in his weye nyghe And they so as nature hem taught Assembled were he tho caught A yerde whiche he bare on honde And thought that he wold fonde To letten hem smote hem bothe Wherof the goddes weren wrothe And for he hath dystourbed kynde And was so to nature vnkynde Vnkyndelyche he was transformed That he whiche erst a maÌ„ was formed In to a woman was for shape That was to hym an angry iape But for that he with angyr wrought Hys angyr angerlyche he bought Lo thus my sone Ouyde hath wryte Wherof thou myght by reson wyte More is a man than suche a best So myght it neuer ben honest A man to wrathen hym to sore Of that another doth the lore Of kynde of whiche is no malyâ—â— But only this is a vyâ—â— And though a man be resonable Yet after kynde he is mâ—uable To loue where he wol or none Thynke thou my sone therupone And do melanoolye aweye For loue hath his lust to pleye Aâ— he whiche wold no lyf greue Amans My fâ—dre that I may wel byleue And that ye telle it is skylle Lete euery man loue as he wylle Be so it be not my lady For I shal not be wroth ther by But that I wrath fare amys Alone vpon my self it is That with bothe loue kynde I am soo bestad that I can fynde No wey how it may asterte Whiche stant vpon myn owne hertâ— And toucheth to none other lyf Sauf only to that swete wyf For whome but yf it be amended My glad dayes ben dispended That I my self shal not forbere The wrathe whiche I now bere For there is none other lyche Nowaâ—e forth I yow byseche Of wrathe yf ther ought eâ—â—es is Wherof to shryue Sone yis â—â—a mouet â—â—tem que lingue frena resoluens Laxa per infamâ—s â—â—rrit vbiquam vias Rixarum nutrix quoâ— educat ista loquaces Hos venus a latere linquit habere vagos Sed pacientâ—r agens taciturno qui delet ore Vincit optati carpit amoris iter hIc tractat Confessor super secunda specie â—re que Lis dicitur 〈◊〉 cuius comtumefijs innumerosa doâ—oruÌ„ occasio tam in ainoris causa â—mÌ„ aâ—â—ter in quampluribus sepissime exorta est oF wrathe the second is cheste Which hath the wyndes of teÌ„pest To kepe many a sodeyne blast He bloweth wherof ben agast That they that desyre pees reste He is that ylke vngoodlyeste Whiche many a lusty hath twynned For euer he bereth his mouth vnpynned So that his lyppes ben vnloke And his courage is al to broke That euery thyng which he couth telle It spryngeth vp as deth a welle Whiche may no maÌ„ of his stumes hide But renneth ouâ—â— on euery syde So boylen vp the foule sawes That chest wote of his felawes For as a Syue kepeth Ale Ryght so can chest kepe a tale Al that he wote he wol dysâ—lose And speke or ony man oppose As a cyte withoute walle Where men may go oute oueralle Withoute ony resystence So with his croked eloquence He speketh al that he wote withynne Wherof men lese more than wynne For oftyme of his chydyng He bryngeth to hous suche tydyng That maketh werre at beddes hede It is the leueyn of the brede Whiche soureth al the past aboute Men ought wel suche oue to doute For euer his bo we is redy bent And whome he hyt I telle hym shent If he maye perce hym with his tonge And eâ—e so loude his belle is ronge That of the noyse of the soune Men feren him in al the Towne Wel more than they done of thonder For that is cause of more wondre For with the wyndes which he bloweth Ful ofâ—â— syth he ouerthroweth The Cytees the polycye That I baue herd the peple crye And echone sayd in his degre Ha wykked tonge woo the be Men sayn that the hard bone Al though hym self haue none A tonge breketh al to pyeces He hath so many sondry spyâ—â—â—s Of vyces that I may not wel Descâ—yue hem by a thousand dele But when that he to cheste falleth Ful many a wondre thyng byfalleth For he ne can no thyng forbere Now tâ—lle my sone of thyn ansuere If it hath euer so beâ—yd That thou at ony tyme hast chyd Tothard thy loue Fader naye Suche chest yet vnto this daye Ne made I neuer god forbede For er I syng suche a crede I had leâ—er to be lewed For than were I al beshrewed And worthy to be put a bak With al the sorowe vpon my bak That ony man ordeyne couthe But I spak neuer yet by mouthe That vnto chest myght touche And that I durst ryght wel vouche Vpon hyr self as for wytnes For I wote of hyr gentylnes That she me wold wel excuse That I no suche thynges vse And yf it shold so betyde That I algates must chyde It myght not be to my loue For so yet neuer was I aboue For al this wyde world to wynne That I durst ony word begynne By which she myght haue be amoued And I of cheste also reproued But rather yf it myght hyr lyke The best wordes wold I pyke Whiche I couthe in myn hert chese And serue hem forth in stede of chose For that is helpelyche to defye And wold my wordes plye That myght wrath in chest auale With tellyng of my softe tale Thus dar I make a forward That neuer vnto my lady ward Yet spak I word in suche a wyse Wherof chest shâ—ld aryse Thuo say I not that
There was it proued how it stood To Perse whiche was ful of good They maden werre in especyal Anâ— soo they dyden oâ—eral Where grete rychesse was in lond So that they left no thyng stond â—n werred but only Archade Nota ê™ greci omnem terram deâ—ellabant fertilem sed tantum ArchadiaÌ„ pro eo quam pauper et steriâ—â—s fuit pacifiâ—â— dimiserunt For there they no werres made By cause it was bareyn pouer Wherof they myght not recouer And thus pouerte was forbore He that nought had nought â–ª hath lore But yet it is â–ª a wondre thyng When that a ryche worthy kynge Or other lord what so he be Wol axe clayme propyrte In thyng whiche he hath no ryght But only of his grete myght For this may euery man wel wyte That bothe kynde lawe wryte Expressely stonde there ageyn But he mote nedes somwhat seyn Al though â–ª there be no reson ynne Whiche seche cause â–ª for to wynne For wyt that his wyl oppressed When couetyse hym hath redressed And al reson put awey He can wel fynde suche a wey To werre where as euer he lyketh Wherof that he the word entryketh That many a man of hym coÌ„pleyneth But yet alwey somme cause he feyneth And of his wrongful hert hath demed That al is wel that euer hym semed Br so he may wynne ynough For as the trewe man to the plough Only to the gaygnage entendeth Ryght so the werryour dyspendeth His tyme hath no conscyence And in this poynt for euydence Of hem that suche werres make Thou myght a grete ensample take How they hyr tyrannye excusen Of that they wrongful werres vsen And they stonde of one acord The Sâ—udyour forth with the lord The poure man forth with the ryche As of courage they ben lyche To make werres to pyle For lucre for none other skyle Wherof a propyr tale I rede As it whylome byfell in dede hIc declarat per Exemplum coÌ„tra istos principes seu alios quos cumque illicite guerre motores Et narrat de quodam Pirata in partiâ—ê° mari nis spoliatore qui cum captus fuisset in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus de latricinio accusatê° dixit O Alexandre vere quia cum pau cis socijs spoliorum causa naues tantuÌ„ exploro â–ª ego latrunculus vâ—ooâ— tu auteÌ„ qâ—â—a cum infinita bellatorum multitu dine vniuersam terram subiuganâ—o spoliasti Imperator diceres Ita quam sta tus tuus a statu meo differt sed eodeÌ„ animo condicionem paâ—â—lem habemus Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans penes se familiarem retinuit Et sic bellicosus bellatori complaâ—â—t oF hym al this erthe drad When he the world so ouerlad Thurgh werre as it fortuned is Kyng Alysaunder I rede this How in a marche where he lay It felle par chaunce vpon a day A Rouer of the see was nome Whiche many a man had ouercome And slayn take her good awaye This Pylour as the boks saye A famous man in sondry stede Was of the werkes whiche he dede This prysoner afore the kyng Was brought therupon this thyng In audyence was he accused And he his dede hath nought excused And praid the kyngÌ„ to done hym ryÈt And seyd Syre yf I were of myght I haue an hert lyche vnto thyn For yf thy power were myn My wylle is moost in especyal To ryfle to gete oueral The large worldes good aboute But for I lede a poure route And am as who sayth at meschyef The name of Pylour of thyef I bere thou whiche Routes grete Maye lede take thy beyete And dost ryght as I wold doo Thy name is nothyng cleped so But thou art named Emperour Oure dedes ben of one colour And in effect of one deserte But thy Rychesse my pouerte They be not taken euen lyche And nethâ—lâ—â— he that â—s ryche This day to morowe he may by poure And in contrary also receuer A pouer man to grete ryches Men seyn for thy ryghtwysenes Be peyced euen in the balaunce The kyng his hardy contenaunce Behelde his wordes wyse And sayd vnto hym in this wyse Thyne ansuere I haue vnderstonde Wherof my wyl â—e that thou stonde In my seruyce stylle abyde And forth with al the same tyde He hath hym â—â—â—me of lyf witholde The more for he shal beholde He made hym knyght yaf hym lond Whiche afterward was of his hond Aâ— orped knyght in many a stede And grete prowesse of armes dede As the Cronyke it recorden And in this wyse they acorden The whiche of one â—â—ndycyâ—n Be sett vpon destructyon Suche Capytayne suche retenue But for to see what yssue The kyng befallyth at the laste In his grete wondre what men caste Her â—â—â—t vpon suche wrong to wynne Where no beâ—â—â—e may be Inne And deth dyâ—â—se on euery syde But when reson is put a syde And wylle gâ—nerneth the courage The fauâ—â—n with that fleeth ramage And suffreth no thyng in the weye Wherof that he may take his preye Is not more set vpon rauyne Than ylk man whiche his couyne Hath set in suche maner wyse For al the world ne may suffyse To wyl whiche is not resonable Wherof ensample concordable Lyche to this poynt of whiche I mene Was vpon Alysander sene Whiche had set al his entent So as fortune with hym went That the reson myÈt hym not gouerne But of his wylle he was so sterne That al the world he ouerâ—an And what hym lyst he took wan In inde the superyour When that he was ful conquerour And had his wylful purpoos wonne Of al this erthe vnder the sonne This kyng homeward to Macedoyne When that he cam to Babyloyne And wende moost in â–ª his empyre As he whiche was lord syre In honour for to be receyued Moost sodenlyche he was deceyued And with strong poyson enuenynâ—â—d And as he hath the world mystymed Not as he shold with his wyt Not as he wold it was acquyt Thus was he slayn that whylome slongh And he whiche ryche was ynough This day to morowe had nought And in suche wyse as he was wrouÈt In dysturbaunce of worldes pees His werre he fonde than endeles In whiche for euer dyscomfyte He was â–ª lo now for what proufyte Of werre it helpeth for to ryde For couetyse worldes pryde To slee the worldes men aboute As bestes whiche gone ther oute For ony lyf whiche reson can Ought wel â–ª to knowe that a man Ne shold thorugh no tyrannye Lyche to these other bestes dye Tyl kynde wold for hym sende I not how he it myght amende Whiche taketh awey for euermore The lyf that he may not restore For thy my sone in al weye Be wel auysed I the preye Of slaught or that thou be culpable Withoute cause resonable My fadre vnderstonde it is That ye haue sayd but ouer this I pray you
qui in amoris causa tardantes delinquunt Et narrat quali ter Dido Regina Eartaginis Eneam ab Incendijs Troie fugitiuum in amo rem suum gaiusa suscepit qui cum postea in partes Italie a Cartagine bella turum se transtulit ninuam que ibidem moram faciens tempus redditus sui ad Didonem vltra modum tardauit Ipsa intolieravili gaudio concussa sui cordis intima gladio transfodit aGeyne lachesse in loues caas I fynde how whylom Eneas Whome Anchyses to sone had With greete nauye which he lad Fro Troye arryueth at Eartage Where fo a while his herbergage He took betyd soo With hyr whiche was quene tho Of the Cyte his acqueyntaunce He wan whos name in remembrauÌ„ce Is yet Dydo she was hote Whiche loueth Eneas soo hote Vpon the wordes whiche he sayd That al hyr herte on hym she layd And dyd al holy what he wolde But after that as it be sholde Fro then he goth to Itayle By shyp thew his arryuayle Hath take shope hym for to ryde But she whiche may not long abyde The hote payne of loues throwe Anone within a lytel throwe A setter vnto hyr knyght hath wryte And dyde hym pseynsy for to wyte If he made ony tarying To dretche of his ayene comyng That she ne myght hym fele see She shold stonde in suche degree As whylome stood a swan to fore Of that she had hyr make â—ore For sorowe a fether in to her brayne She shoof hath hyr self slayn As kyng Menander in a lay The soth hath fonde where she lay Spraulend with her wynges tweye As she whiche shold than deye For loue of hym which was her make And so shal I do for thy sake This quene sayde wel I wote Lo to Enee thus she wrote With many another word of coÌ„pleynt But he which had his thoughtes feint Towardes loue ful of slouthe â—â—s tyme let that was routhe For she whiche loueth hym to fore 〈◊〉 euer more more And when she sawe hym tarye so Hyr hert was so ful of wo That compleynend manyfolde She hath hyr owne tale tolde Vnto her self thus she spack A who fonde euer suche a lack Of slouthe in ony worthy knyght Now wote I wel my deth is dyght Thurgh hym whiche shold haue be my â—yf But for to stynten al this stryf Thus when she syghe none other bote Ryght euen vnto her hert rote A naked sword anone she threste And thus she got hyr self reste In remembraunce of al slowe Wherof my sone thou myght knowe Hou taryeng vpon the nede In loues cause is for to drede And that hath Dydo sore abought Whoo 's deth shal euer be bethought And euermore yf I shal seche In this maner another speche In a Cronyke I fynde wryte A tale whiche is good to wyte His loquitur super eodem qualiter â—enolope vlixum maritum suum in obsidione Troie diucius morantem ob ipsius ibidem tardacionem epistola sua redargiut aT Twye when kyng Vlyxes Vpon the sege among the pres Of hem the worthy kniÈtes were Abode longe tyme stylle there In thylke tyme a man may see Hou goodly that Penolope Whiche was to hym his trewe wyf Of his lachesse waâ— pleyntyf Wherof to Troye she hym sende Hyr wylle by letter thus spekende My worthy loue lorde alsso It is hath be euer soo That where a woman is alone At maketh a man in his persoue The more hardy for to wowe In hope that she wolde bowe To suche thyuge as his wylle werr Whyle that here lord were elles where And of my self I telle this For it so long passed is Syth fyrste that ye from home went That we le nyhe euery man is went To come there I am whyle ye be oute And besyly eche of hem aboute Whiche loue can my loue secheth With grete prayer me bysecheth And somme maken grete manace That yf they myght come in place Where that they myght here wyl haue There is no thyng me shold saue That they ne wold worche thynges And somme telle me tydynges That ye he dede somme seyn That certeynly ye be beseyn To loue a newe leue me But holle as euer that it be I thanke vnto the goddes alle As yet for ought that is byfalle May no man do my chekes rede But netheles it is to drede That lachesse in contynuaunce Fortune myght werke suche aâ—chaunce Whiche nomanâ— after shal amende Loo thus thys lady compleynend A letter vnto hyr lord hath wryte And prayd hym that he wold wyte And thynke how that she was al his And that he tarye not in this But that he wold his loue acquyte To her ayeneward not wryte But come hym self in al hast That he none other paper wast Soo that he kepe holde his trouthe Withoute let of ony slouthe Vnto her lord loue lyege To Troye where the grete syege Was leyd this letter was conueyd And he whiche wysedom hath purueyd Of al that to reson belongeth With gentyl hert it vnderfongeth And when he hath it ouer rad In part he was ryght Inly glad And eke in part he was dysesed But loue his hert hath thorugh sesed With pure ymagynacyon That for none occupacyon Whiche he gan take on other syde He may not flyt his hert asyde For that his wyf hym had enformed Wherof he hath hym self conformed With al the wyl of his courage To shape take the â—yage Homeward what tyme that he may Soo that hym thynketh one day A thousand yere tyl he may see The â—ysage of Penolope Whiche he desyreth moost of alle And when the tyme was so byfalle That Troye was destroyed brent He made no delayment But goth hym home in al hyghe Where that he fond to fore his eye His worthy wyf in good estate And thus was seced the debate Of loue slouthe was excused Which doth gret harme where it is bsed And hyndreth many a cause honest Nota ad huc de quodam Astrologo super eodem qui quondam opê° ingeniosum quasi ad complementum septennius perducens vnius momenti tardacione omnem sui operis diligenciam pe nitus feustrauit For of the grete clerk Grostest I rede how redy that he was Vpon clergyr an hede of bras To make forge it for to telle Of suche thynges as befelle And seuen yeres besynesse He layde but for the lachesse Of half a mynute of an houre Fro fyrst that he began laboure He lost al that he had do And other whyle it fareth soo In loues cause who is slowe That he withoute vnder the wowe By nyght fue ofte stant a colde Whiche myght yf that he had wolde His tyme haue kept haue ben Inne Nota ad huc contra tardacionem de virginibus fatuis que niâ—â—iam moraÌ„ facientes intrante sponso ad nupaâ—â—s cum ipso non introterunt But slouthe may no profyt wynne But he may
I hane herd telle also Achilles left hs armes soo Bothe of hym self of his men At Troye fro Polyxenen Vpon hyr loue when he felle That for no chaunce that be felle Among the grekes vp or doune He wold nought ayene the touus Bâ— armed for the loue of her And so me thynketh leue syr A man of armes may hym rest Somtyme in hope for the best If he may fynde a wey nerre What shold I than go so ferre In strannge londes many a myâ—â— To ryde lese at home the whyle My loue it were a short beyete To wynne chaf lese whete But yf my lady byd wolde That I for her loue sholde Trauaylle me thynketh truly I myght flee thorugh oute the sky And so thorugh oute the depe see For al ne sett I not a sâ—re What thâ—ng that I myght elles gete What helpeth a man to haue mete When drynk lakketh on the boord What helpeth ony mans word To sey hou I trauayle fast Where as me fayllith at the last That thynge whiche I trauaylle fore O in good tyme were he â—ore That myght atteyne suche a nede But certes yf I myght spede With ony maner besynesse Of worldes trauayl than I gesse There shold me none ydelshyp Departe from hyr ladyshyp But this I see on dayes now The blynde god I wote not hou Cupyde whiche of loue is lord He set the thynges in dyscord That they that loue lest attende Ful ofte he wold hem yeue sende Moost of his grace thus I fynde That he that shold goo behynde Goth many a tyme fer to fore So wotâ— I not ryght wel therfore On wheder boord that I shal seyâ—e Thus can I nought my self counseyle But al I set on auenture And am as who seyth oute of cure For ought that I can sey or do For euermo I fynde it soo The more besynes that I lay The more that I knele pray With good wordes with softâ— The more I am refused ofte With besynes maye not wynne And in good feyth that is grete synne For I may sey of dede thought That ydel man haue I â—e nought For hou as euer that I be slayde Yet euermore I haue assayde But though my besynes last Al is but ydel at the last When theffect is ydelnesse I not what thyng is besynesse Saye what auayleth al the dede Whiche helpeth no thyng at nede For the fortune of euery fame Shal of his ende lere a name And for ought that is yet befalle And ydel man I wol me calle And after myn entendement But vpon youre amendement Myn holy fadre as yen semeth My reason my cause demeth Myn sone I haue herde the mâ—â—â—â— Of that thou haste the shrynâ—n here And for to speke of â—ydel fare Me semeth that thou tharst not â—â—â—â— But only that thou myght not spede And therof sone I wol the rede Abyde haste not to faste Thy dyes ben euery day to caste Thou nost what chauÌ„ce shall betyâ—â— Better is to wayte vppon the tyde Than rowe ayenst the stremes stronge For though so be ye thynke long â—er caas the reuolucyon Of heuene and thy condicyon Ne be not yet of one acord But I dar make this record To venus whoo 's preest that I am That sythen that I thyder cam To here as she me bad thy lyf Wherof thou els be gyltyf Thou myght herof thy conscyence Excuse of greete dylygence Whiche thou to lone hast so dyspendedâ— Thou oughtest wel to be commended But yf so be that ther ought fayâ—â— Of that thou slouthest to trauaylle In armes for to be absent And for thou makest an argument Of that thou saydest here aboue Hou achilles thurgh strengthe of loue His armes left for a throwe Thou shalt an other tale knowe Whiche is contrayre as thou shalt wiâ—â— For this a man maye fynde wryde When that knyghthode shal be werredâ— â—ust may nought thenne be preferred The bed mote than be forsake And shelde spere on hond take Which thing shal make hem after glad When they worthy kynghtâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—â— Wherof soo as it cometh to honde A tale thou shalt vnderstonde Hou that a knyght shalle armes sewe And for the while hiâ—â—ase eschewe Hic dicit â—â—moris delectamento posiâ—â—siâ—â— miles arnâ—â— sua preferre defet Et ponit eâ—emplum de vâ—yxe cum ipse a bello Troiano propâ—â—r amorem â—â—â—eâ—oâ—â— remanere domi voluisset NaÌ„ plus pater Palamides cum tantis sermonibus allocutus est â— vlixes thoro sue coningis relicto labores Armorum vna cum alijs Troie magnanimus suâ—â—â—â—t â—on knyÈthode I nede thus How whylome the kyng NaÌ„ plus The fader of â—alamydes Cam for to preyen â—lyxes With other Gregoys eke also That he with hem to Troye goo Where that theâ—syege â–ª shold be Anone vpon â—enelope His wys whome that he loueth hote Thynkynde wold not hem behote But he shope than a wonder wyle Hou that he sholde hem begyle So that he myght duâ—lle stylle At home weld his loue at wylle Wherof erly at the morowe day Oute oâ—â—his bed where that he lay When he was vp he gan to fare In to the felde loke stare As he whiche feyneth to be wood He took a plough where that it stood Wheryn anone in stede of Oxes He lete do yoken grete Foxes Aud with grete salt the lond he sewe But Namplus whiche the cause knew Ayene the sleyghte whiche he feyneth Another sleyghte anone ordeyneth And felle that tyme vlyxes had A childe to sone namplus â—ad Hou men that child take shold And set hym vpon the mold Where that his fader helde the plough In thilk forugh whiche â—e tho drough For in suche wyse he thought ossaye Hou it vlyxes shold paye If that he were wood or none The knyghtes for the child forth gone The lamacus anone was fett To fore the ylough euen sett Where that his fadre shold dryue But when he sawe his chyld blyue He droof the plough oute of the weye And Namplus tho bygan to seye And hath half in a iape cryed O vlyxes thou art aspyed What is al this thou woldest mene For openlyche it is now sene That thou hast feyned al this thyng Whiche is grete shame to a kyng When that for lust of ony slouthe Thou wylt a quarel of trouthe Of armes thylk honour forsake And duelle at home for loues sake For better it were honour to wynne Than loue whiche lykyng is inne For thy take worshyp vpon honde And elles thou shalt vnderstonde These other worthy knyghtes alle Of Grece whiche vnto the calle Towardes the wol be ryght wroth And greue the per chans both Whiche shal be to the double shame Moost for the hyundrynge of thy name That thou for slouthe of ony loue Shalt so thy lustes set aboue And leue of Armes the knyghthode Whiche is the pryce of thy manhode And ought fyrst to be desyred But he whiche had his
euery theef vpon rychesse A wayteth for to robbe stele Suche â—â—ood is cause of harmes fele And also though a man at ones Of al the world within his wones The Tresour myght haue euery deele Yet had he but one mans dele Toward hym self so as I thynke Of clothynge of mete of drynke For more oute take vanyte There hath no lord in his degre And thus vpon the poyntes dyuerse Dyuersly he gan reherce What poynt hym thought for the best But pleynly for to gete hym rest He can no syker weye cast And netheles yet at the last He felle vpon the couetyse Of gold than in sondry wyse He thought as I haue sayd to fore How Tresour may be sone forlore And had an Inly grete desyre Touchend of suche recouer Hou that he myght his cause auayle To gete hym gold withoute fayle Within his hert thus he preyseth The gold sayth hou that he peyseth Aboue al other metal most The gold he sayth may lede an hoost To make werre ayene a kyng The gold put vnder al thyng And set whome hym lyst aboue The gold can make of hate loue And werre of pees ryght of wrong And long to short short to long Withoute gold may be no fest Gold is the lorde of man beste And may hem both bye selle Soo that a man may sothely telle That al the world to gold obeyeth For thy this kyng to bachus preyth To graunte hym gold but he excedeth Mesure more than hym nedeth Men tellen that the maladye Whiche callyd is Ioropesyâ— Resembled is to this vyce By weye of kynde Auaryce The more Idropesye drynketh The more thyrsteth for hym thynketh That he may not drynke his fylle Soo that there may no thyng fulfylle The lustes of his appetyte And ryght in suche maner plyte Stant euer Auaryce euer stood The more he hath of worsdes good The more he wolde kepe streyte And euer more and more coueyte And ryght in suche condicyon Wythoute good discrecyon This kyng with auaryce is smete That al the worlde it myght wete For he to Bachus then preyd That wherupon his honde he leid It sholde thorugh his touche anone Become gold therupon This god hym graunteth as he bad Tho was this kyng of Fryge glad And for to put it in assaye With al the hast that he maye He toucheth that he toucheth this And in his hond al gold it is The stone the tre the leef the gras The Floure the fruyte al gold it was Thus toucheth he while he may last But hongre att the last Hym took soo that he mote nede By wey of kynde his hongre fede The clothe was leyd the boord was set And alle was forth byfore hym set His dissh his drink his cuppe his meet But when he wold drynk or ete As to his mouth anone cam nyghe It was al gold then he syghe Of Auayrce the folye And he with that bygnne to crye And preyde Bachus to foryeue His gylt suffre hym for to lyue And be suche as he was to fore Soo that he were nought forlore This god whiche of this greuaunce Herd toke routhe vpon his repentauÌ„ce And bad hym goo forth redyly Vnto a flood was fast by Whiche paceole than hyght In whiche as sone as euer he myght He sholde hym wasshe oueral And said hym than he shal Recouere hys fyrst astate ageyn This kyng right as he herd seyn In to the flood goth fro the lond And wesshe hym bothe fote hond And so forth al the remenaunt As hym was set in â—â—uendunt And than he sawe meruayles strauÌ„ge The flood his coloure gan to chaunge The grauel with the smal stones To gold they torne al attones And he was quyte of that he had And thus fortune his chaunge lad And when he sawe his touche gone He goth hym home ryght forth soone And lyueth forth as he dyde er And put al Auaryce a fer And the ryches of gold despyseth And seyth that mete clothe suffyseth Thus hath this kyng experyence Hou fooles done the reuerence To gold whiche of his owne kynde Is lasse worth than is the rynde To sustenaunce of mans fode Then he made lawes goode And al his thyng set vpon skylle He lede his people for to tylle Her lâ—nd lyue vnder the lawe And they also shold forth drawe Bestayl seche none encrees â—f gold whiche is the breche of pees For this a man may fynde wryte To fere the tyme that gold was smyte In coygne that men the floren knewe There was wel nyhe noman vntrewe There was nother shelde ne spere Ne dedely wepen for to be bere Tâ—o was the toune withoute walle The whiche now is closed ouer alle Tho was there no broâ—â—ge in lond Whiche now taketh euery cause on hoÌ„d So may that man knowe hou the floreyn Was moder fyrst of malengyn And brynger in of alle werre Wherof this world stant oute of herre Thorugh the counseyl of auaryâ—â— Whiche of his owne propre vyce Whiche as the helle wonderful For it may neuermore be ful That what as euer cometh therynne Awey it ne may neuer wynne But sone myn do thou not so Late al suche auaryce go And take thy part of that thou hast I byd not that thou do wast But hold largesse in mesure And yf thou see a creature Whiche thorugh pouert is falle in nede Yeue hym somme good for this I rede To hym that wol not yeuen here What peyne he shal haue elles where There is a peyne among al Bynethe in helle whiche men calle The woful peyne of Tantaly Of whiche I shal the redely Deuyse hou theryn men stond In helle thou shalt vnderstâ—nd There is a flood of thylk offyce Whiche serueth al for auaryce What man that stonde shal therin He stant vp euen to the chynne Aboue his hede also there hougeth A fruyt whiche to that peyne longeth And that fruyt toucheth euer in one His ouerlyppe and therupon Suche thyrst honger hym assayleth That neuer his appetyte ne fayleth But when he wende his hongar fede The fruyt withdraweth hym at nede And though he haue his hede on hyghe The fruyt is euer alyche nyghe So is the honger wel the more And also though hym thurst sore And to the water bowe adoune The flood in suche condycyon Aualeth that his drynke areche He may not loo now whiche a wreche That mete drynk is hym so couthe And yet ther comth none in his mouth Lyche to the peynes of this flood Stant Auaryce in worldes good He hath Inough yet hym nedeth For his scarcenes it hym forbedeth And euer his honger after more Trauayleth hym alyche sore So is he peyned oueral For thy thy goodes oueral My sone loke that thou dyspende Wherof thou myght thy self amende Bothe here eke in other place And also yf thou wolt purchace To be loued thou must vse Largesse for yf thou refuse To yeue for thy
tanquam deuÌ„ in Caldea primus adorari decreuit These elementes ben creatures So ben these heuenly fygures Wherof may wel be iustyfyed That they may not be deifyed And what taketh awey the honour Whiche due is to the creatour And yeueth it to the creature He doth to grete a forteture But of Caldee netheles Vpon this feyth though it be les They holde affermed the creaunce So that of helle the penaunce As folk whiche stant oute of byleue They shal â—ceyue as we byleue Of the Caldees loo in this wyse Stant the byleue oute of assyse But in Egypt worst of alle The feyth is fals hou so it falle For they dyuers beestes there Honoure as though they goddes were And netheles yit forth with al The goddes most in specyal They haue forth with a goddesse In whome is al her sekernesse The goddes yet be cleped thus Orus Cyphon and Isyrus They were bretheren al thre And the goddes in here degre Hyr suster was Isys hyght Whome Isyrus forlay by nyght And helde hyr after as his wyf So it by felle that vpon stryf Typhon hath Isire his broder slayn Whiche had a child to sone Orayn And he his fader deth to herte So took that he may not asterte That he Typhon after ne slough Than he wa s â—ype of age Inough But yet the Egypcyens trowen For al this errour that they knowen That these bretheren ben of myght To sette kepe Egypt vp ryght And ouer thurgh yf that hem lyke But Isys as seyth the Cronyke Fro Grece in to Egypte cam And she then vpon honde nam To teche hem for to sowe â—re Whiche noman knewe to fore there And when the Egypcyans syghe The felde ful a fore here eye And that the lond bygan to greyne Whiche whysome had be bareyne For the erthe bareâ— after the kynde His due charge this I fynde That â–ª she of byrthe the goddesse Is cleped so that in dystresse The women ther vpon chyldyng To her clepe and here offryng They â—ere when that they be lygÌ„ht Loo hou Egypt al out of syght Fro reson stant in mysbyleue For lak of bore as I byleue De secta Grecorum Among the grekes out of the weye As they that reson put aweye There was as the Cronyke seyth Of mysbyleue an other feyth That â—ere goddes here goddesse As who seyth taken al to gesse Of suche as weren ful of vyce To whome they made sacryfyce â—he hyghe god so as they sayde To whome they worshyp layde Nota qualiter Saturnus deoruÌ„ summns appellatur Saturnus hyght kyng of Crete He had be put out of his sete He was put doune as he whiche stood In frenesye was so wood That fro his wyf whiche Reá hyght His owne children he to plyght And ete hem of his comon wone But Iupyter whiche wâ—s his sone And of ful age his fader bonde And kyt of with his owne honde His genytalles whiche also fast In to the depe see he cast Wherof the grekes afferme seye Thus when they were cast awey Cam Venus forth by wey of kynde And of Saturnus also I fynde Hou afterward in to an yle This Iupyter hym dyd exyle Where that he stood in grete meschyef Loo what a god they maden cheef Whiche stood moost in his degre And sythen that suche one was he Among the goddes thou myÈt knowe These other that ben more lowe Ben lytel worth as it is founde Iupiter â—eus deliciarum For Iupyter was the seconds Whiche Iuno had vnto his wyf And yet a lechour al his lyf He was in auoutrye He wrought many a trecherye And for he was so ful of vyces They cleped hym god of delyces Of whome yf thou wolt wyte Ouyde the poete hath wryte But yet here sterres bothe twoo Saturne and Iupyter also They haue although they be to blame Attytled to her owne name Mars deus belli Mars was another man in that laste The whiche in trace was forth drawe Of whome the clerk Vegecius Wrote in his book told thus Hou he in to Italye cam And fortune there he nam That he a mayden there oppressyd Whiche in hyr ordre was professed As the whiche was the Pâ—yoâ—esse In bestes Temple the goddesse So was she wel the more to blame Dame Ilya this lady name Men clepe she was also The kynges doughter that was tho Whiche mynyter by name hyght Soo that ayene the lawes ryght Mars thylke tyme vpon hyr that Remus Romulus he vygat Whiche after when they come in age Of knyghthode of bessellage Italye al hoole they ouercome And foundeden the grete Rome In armes and of suche empryse They weren that in thylk wyse Hyr fader mars for the meruayle The god was cleped of the batayle They were his children both two Though hem he took his name soo There was none other cause why And yet a sterre vpon the sky He hath vnto his name applyed In whiche that he is â—â—guyfyed Another god they hadden eke To whome for counseyl they byseke The whiche was broder to Venus Appollo men hym clepe thus He was an hunte vpon the helles There was with hym no vertu elles Wherof that ony bokes carpe But onlyche that he couthe harpe Whiche whan he walked ouer lond Ful of tyme he woke on hond To gete hym with his sustenaunce For lak of other purueaunce And other whyle of his falshede He feyneth hym to conne a rede â–ª Of thyng which afterward shold fall Wherof among his sleyghtes all He hath the leude folk receyned So that the better he was receyued Loo now thorugh what â–ª creacyon He hath deyfycacyon To suche as be the foles yet And cleped is the god of wyt Another god to whome they sought Mercurye hyght hym ne rought What thyng he stale ne whom â–ª he slouÈ Of sâ—râ—â—rye he couthe ynough That when he wold hym self transfor me Ful oftyme he toke the forme Of woman his owne lefte So dyde he wel the more thefte Agrete speker in al thynges He was also of lesynges An Autor that men wyst none An other suche as he was one And yet they maden of this theef A god whiche was vuto hym leef And cleped hym in tho vyleues The god of marchauntes of theues But asterre vpon the heuene He hath one of the planetes senene But Vulcanus of whome I spa Ho had a courbe vpon the bak And therto he was hyppe halt Of whome thou vnderstonde shalt He was a shrewe in al his youthe And he none other vertu couthe Of vertu to helpe hym self with But only that he was a smyth Whiche with Iupyter in his forg e Dyuerse thynges made hym forge So wote I not for what desyre To clepe hym the god of fyre Kyng of Cecyle Ipolytus A sone had and Eolus He hyght of his fader graunt He helde the weye of couenaunt The gouernaunce of euery Ile Whiche was longed vnto Cecyle Of hem that
with that hastely A wether whiche was blak she â—â—ouÈ And oute therof she the blood drough And dyde in to the pyttes twoo Warme mylk she put also therto With hony meynt in suche wyse She gan to make hyr sacryfyce And cryde prayde forth with al To pluto the god infernal And to the quene proserpyne Aud so she sought oute the lyne Of hem that longen to that craft Behynd was noman laft And praid hem alle as she was couth To graunte Eson his fyrst youth This old Eson brought forth was tho A wey she bad al other goo Vpon peryl that myght falle And with that word they wenten alle And leften there them two alone And tho she began to gaspe gone And made sygnes many one And sayd hyr wordes therupone So that with spellyng hir charmes She took Eson in bothe hyr armes And made hym for to slepe fast And hym vpon hir herbes cast The blak wether tho she took And hewe the flesshe as doth a Cook On eyther aulter part she leyde And with the charmes that she seyde A fyre doune from the sky alyght And made it for to brenne lyght And when Medea sawe it brenne Anone she gan to sterte renne The fyry aulters al aboute There was no beste whiche goth oute More wylde than she semeth there Aboute hyr sholders henge hyr here As though she were oute of her mynde And torned in to another kynde Tho lay there certeyn wode clefte Of whiche the peces now efte She made hem in the pyttes wete And put hem in the fyry hete And toke the brond with al the blase And thryes she bygan to rase Aboute Eson there as he slepte And efte with water whiche she kepte She made a cercle aboute hym thryes And eke with fyre of sulphyr twyes Ful many another thyng she dede Whiche is not wryten in the stede But she can vp so doune She made a wonder soune Somtyme lyche vnto the cok Somtyme vnto the lauerok Somtyme cacleth as an henne Somtyme speketh as done menne And ryght so as hir â—argon strauÌ„geth In sondry wyse hyl forme chaungeth She semeth fayre no woman Forth with the craft that she can She was as who seith a goddesse And what hyr lyst more or lesse She dyde in bokes as we fynde That passeth ouer mannes kynde But who that wol wondres here What thyng she wrouÈt in this matere To make an ende of that she gan Suche meruayle herd neuer man A poynted in the newe mone When it was tyme for to done She sett â— cauldron on the fyre In whiche was al the hoole a tyre Where on the medycyne stood Of Iuse of water of blood And lete it boyle in suche a plyte Tyl that she sawe the spume whyte And tho she cast in rynde roote And seed floure that was for bote With many an herbe many a stone Wherof she hath there many one And eke the Cympheyus the serpent To hyr hath al hyr scales lent â—he â—ydre hyr yafe his adders skyn And she to boyle cast hem in And part eke of the horned oule The whiche men here on nyghtes houle And of a Rauen whiche was told Of nyne honderd wynter old She took the heed with al the bylle And as the medyâ—yue it wylle She took therafter the bowele Of the see wolf for the hele Of Eson with a thousand mo Of thyngis that she had tho In that caldron to gyder as blyue She put took than of olyue A drye braunche hem with to sterâ— The whiche anone gan floure bere And weye al fresshe grene ageyn When she this vertue herd fâ—yn She lete the lest drope of alle Vpon the bare flore doune falle Where as the droppe falle was Anone there spronge floure gras And waye anone al mede we grene So that it myght wel be sene Medea than knewe and wyst Hyr medycyne is for to tryse And goth to Eson there he lay And took a swerd was of assay With whiche a wounde vpon his syde She made that ther out may slyde The blood within whiche was old And seke trouble feble coldr And tho she took vnto his vse Of herbes al the best Iuse And poured it in to his wounde That made his beynes ful sounde And tho she made his woundes close And took his hond vp he wse And tho she yafe hym drynk a drauÈt Of whiche his youthe agayn be caught His heed his hert his bysage Lyche vnto twenty wynter age And lyche vnto the fresshe may His hore heres were away When passed ben the cold shoures Ryght so recouereth he his floures Loo what myght ony man deuyse A woman shewe in ony wyse More hertely loue in ony stede Than medea to Iason dede Fyrst she made hym the flees to wyn And from alle her kyth kyn With grete tresour with hym she stal And to his fader forth with al His elde hath torned in to youthe Whiche thyng none other man couth But hou it was to hyr aâ—uyt The remembraunce duelleth yet Kyng Peleus his eme was deed Iason bare coroune on his beede Medea hath fulfylled his wylle But when he shold of ryght fulfylle The trouthe whiche to hyr afore He had in the â—le of Colchos swore Tho was medea moost deceyued For he hath another receyued Whtchâ— doughter was to kynge Creon Creusa she byght thus Iason As he that was to loue vntrewe Medea left toke a newe But that was afterward sore abought Medea with hyr art hath wrought Of cloth of gold a mantel ryche Whiche semeth worth a kynges ryche And that was vnto Creusa sent In name of yeft and of present For susterhood was hem bytwene And when the yong fresshe quene That mantyl lappyd hyr aboute A none therof the fyre sprang oute And brent hyr bothe flesshe bone Tho cam Medea to Iason With both his sones on here hond And sayd O thou of euery lond The moost vntre we creature Loo this shal be thy forfeture With that she bothe his sones slough Byfore his eye he oute drough His swerd wold haue slayn hyr tho But fare wel she was a goo Vnto Pallas the court aboue Where as she pleyneth vpon loue As she that was with that goddesse And he was left in grete dystresse Thus myÈt thou see what sorow it doth To swere an othe whiche is not soth In loues cause namely My sone be wel ware for thy And kepe that thou be not forswore For this whiche I haue told tofore Ouyde telleth euery dele My fader I may leue it wele For I haue herde it ofte seye Hou Iason toke the flees aweye Fro Colchos for yet herd I nought By whom it was fyrst thyder brouÈt And for it were good to here If that thou lyst at my prayere To telle I wold you byseche My sone who that wol it seche In bokes he may fynde it wryte
super oÌ„nia magis gaudere de eo quod contra sue carnis concupiscenciam victoriam opâ—â—nuisset nam et ipse virgo omnibus diebus vite sue castissimus permansit aN Emperour by old dayes There was he at al assayes A worthy knyÈt was of his honde There was no suche in all the loÌ„d But yet for all his vassellage He stood vn wedded al his age And in Cronycle as it is told He was an honderd wynter old But when men wold his dedes peyse And his knyghthode of armes preyse Of that he did with his hondes When he the kynges the londes To his subiection put vnder Of all that pryce had he no Wonder For he it set at none acounte And seid â—ll that myght not amounte Ageyn one poynte that he hath nomen That his flesshe he hath ouercomen He was a virgyn as he sayde On that batayle his prys he laid Lo now my sone auyse the Fader all this may wel be But and al other did soo The world of men were sone agâ— And in the lawe men may fynde How god to man the lawe of kynde Hath set the world to multyplye And who that wylle hym Iustyfye It is not to doo the lawe And neuertheles youre good sawe Is good to kepe who so may I wol not there ageyne seye nay My sone take it as I say If maydenhede be taken away Withoute lawes ordynaunce It may not fayle of vengeauuce And yf thou wylt the sooth wyten Behold a tale the whiche is wryten How that the kyng of Agamenon When he the Cyte of Lâ—sbon Had wonuen a mayden there he fond That was the fairest of the londe In that tyme that men wyst And he had of hir what hym lyst Wherof that she was daungerous Of the thyng that whiche was most precious This fayre mayden cleped is Creseyde the doughter of Crysys The whiche was that tyme speciall Of that tyme bisshop pryncipal Where Phebus had his sacryfyce So was it wel the more vyce Agamenon was than in way To Troyward and tooke a way This mayden that he with hym ladde And grete lust in hir he hadde But Phebus that whiche had grete disdeyne For that this maiden was forleyn Anone as he to Troye came Mengeaunce vpon this dede name Aud sent a comune pestylence They sought than hir euydence And made calculacion To knowe in what condicyon This deth cam in sodenly And at the last redyly The cause also the man they fonde And forth with all the same stounde Agamenon opposed was The whiche hath knowleched all the cas Of the foly that he hath wrought And therupon mercy they sought Toward the god in dyuerse wyse With prayer with sacryfyce And the mayden home they sende And gafe hir gold ynough to spende For euer whyles she wold lyue And thus the syn was forgyue And all the pestylence seced Loo what it is to be encrecid Of loue whiche is ylle wonne It were letter be vnbegonne Than take a thyng withoute leue Whiche thou must after nedes leue And yet haue maugre forth with all For thy to robben ouerall In loues cause yf thou begynne I not what ease thou shalt wynne My fader so wyl I wys My sone be wel ware of this But now youre examplarye In loue is cause of Robberye I haue it right wel vnderstonde But ouer this how so it stonde Yet wol I wyte of youre apryse What thynge is more of Couetyse Inâ—idiando latens tempus rimatur et horam Fur quibus occulto tempore furta parat Sic amor insidijs vacat et sub tegmine laudes PreÌ„dere furtiuos nocte fauente queat Hic tractat super illa cupiditatis specie que secrum latrocinium dicitur cuius natura custodire rerum nesciente ea que cupit tam per diem quam per nâ—c tem absqÈ strepitu clauculo fnratur wYth Couetyse yf I fynde A seruaunt of the same kynd Which steleth is hote myche â—ye With hym is euer in companye Of whome yf I shall telle sooth He stalketh as a Pecok doth And taketh his pray soo couerte That no man wote it in aperte And wote the lord at home Than wold he stalke aboute come And what thyng he fynt in his way When that he sawe the men away He steleth it goth forth with al That therof no man knowe shal And eke â—uf oft he goth a nyght Withouten mone or sterre lyght And with his craft the dore vnpykyth And taketh therin what hym lyketh And yf the dore be so shet That he be of his entre lette He wylle at the wyndowe in crept And whyle the lord is fast a slepe He steleth what thyng hym best lyst And goth his wey or it be wyst Ful ofte also by lyght of day Yet wold he stele make assay Vnder the cete his hond he put And with a knyf his purs he cut And receyueth what he fynde therin And thus he auntreth hym to wyn And bereth an horne not bloweth For no man of his counceyll knoweth That he may gete of his mychyng It is al bylle vnder the wyng And as an hound goth to fold And hath there taken what he wold His mouth vppon the gras he wypeth And so with feyned chere hym slyketh And what as euer of shepe he strangle There is no man therof shall iangle As for to knowe who it dede Ryght so doth stelthe in euery stede Where as hym lyst his pray take He can so wel his cause make And so wel feyne so wel glose That there ne shalle no man suppose But that he were an Innocent And thus a mannes eye he blent So that this craft he may vse Withoute helpe of ony refuse There ben louers of that degre With all hir lust in pryuete As who sey geten al by stelthe And ther of atteynen to grete welthe And for the tyme that it lasteth For loue awayteth euer casteth How he may stele catche his pray When he therto may fynde a way For be it nyght or be it day He taketh his parte when he may And yf he may no more doo Yet wol he stele a kysse or two Telle yf thou euer dydest so In ony wyse thy lady vnto My fader how my sone thus If thou haue stolen ony kus Or other thyng that therto longeth For no man suche theues hongeth Telle on for thy sey the trouthe My fader nay that is routhe For by wylle I am a thefe But she that is to me moost lefâ— Yet durst I neuer in pryuete Mot ones take by r by the kne To stele of hir or this or that And yf I durst I wote wel what And netheles but yf I lye By stelthe ne by robberye Of loue whiche felle in my thought To hir dyd I neuer nought But as meÌ„ seyn where herte is fayled There shalle no castel be assayled But though I had hertes ten And were as strong as all men
after trouthe the second In polecye as it is founde Which serueth to the worldes fame In worshyp of a kynges name Largesse it is whos preuylege There may no auarice abrege The worldes good was first comune But afterward vpon fortune Was thylke comyn prouffyt cesed But Whan the peple stode encresed As the lygnages wexen grete Anone for synguler byÈâ—â—e Drewe euery man to his partye Wherof comyn the fyrst enuye With grete debate warees stronge And laste emoÌ„ge the men so longe Tyl no man wyst who was who Ne which was frende ne whiche foo Whyl atte laste in euery londe Within hem self the peple fonde That it was good to make a kynge Whiche myght appesen al this thynge And yeue ryght to the lignages In partyng of her heritages And eke of al the other good And thus aboue hem al stood The kyng vpon his regalye As he whiche hath to iustefye The worldes good for couetyse So syt it wel in al wyse A kyng betwene more and lesse To sette his herte vpon largesse Toward hym self eke also Toward his peple yf not so That is to say yf that he be Toward his self large and free And of his peple take and pylle Largesse by no weye of skylle It may be said but auarice Which in a kyng is a grete vyce A kyng hehoueth eke to flee The vpce of prodegalyte That he mesure in expence So kepe that of indygence He may be saufe fro who that nedeth In al his werke the wers he spedeth Nota super hoc qued aristotilus ad Alexandrium exemplificauit de exactionibus Regis chaldeoruÌ„ aS aristotle vpon caldee Ensaumple of grete auctorite Vnto alisaunder taughte Of thylke folke that were vnsaughte Toward hir kyng for his pyllage Wherof he hade in his corage That he vnto thre poyntes entende Where that he wold his good dyspende Fyrst shold he loke how that it stood That al were of his owne good The yeftes whiche he wold yeue So myght he the better leue And eke he must taken hede Yf there be canse of ony nede Whiche oughte to be deffended Or that his goodes ben dyspended He mote eke as it is befalle Amonge other thynges alle Se the decertes of his men And after they ben of ken And of estate and meryte He shal hem largely acquyte Or for the werre or for the pease That none honoure falle in dyscreast Whiche myght torne in to deffame But that he kepe his good name So that he be not holde vnkynde For in cronycle a tale I fynde Whiche speketh som dele of this matere Here afterward as thou shalt here Hic secundum gesta Iulij exempluÌ„ ponit qualiter Rex suorum militum quos probos agnouerit indigenciam largitatis sue beneficijs releuare tenetur â–ª In rome to pursue his right There was a worthy poure knyght Whiche came allone for to seyne His cause when the courte was pleyne Where Iulyus was in presence And for hym lacketh of his dyspeÌ„ce There was with hym none aduocate To make plee for his estate But though hym lacke for to plede Hym lacketh nought of manhede He wist wel his purse was pouer But yet he thought his right receuer And o penly pouerte aleyed To the emperour thus he seyed O Iulyns lord of the lawe Behelde my counceyl is withdrawe For lacke of golde to thyn offyce After the lawe of Iustyce Helpe that I had counceyl here Vpon the trouthe of my matere And Iulyus with that anone Assygned hym a worthy one But he hym self no worde spáke This knyght was wroth fonde lake In the emperour said thus O thou vnkynde Iulyus Whan thou in thy batayle were Vpon aufrik I was there My might for the rescue I dyd And that no man in my stede Thou wotest woundes there I had But for I fynde the so bad That the ne list speke one worde Thyn owne mowthe or of thy horde To yeue a floreyn me to helpe How shold I than me be yelpe Fro this forth of my largesse Whan suche a grete vnkyndenesse Is founde in suche a lord as thou This Iulyus knewe wel y now That al was sothe which he hym tolde And for he wold not ben holde Vnkynde he toke his cause on honde And as it were of goddes sonde He yaue hym good ynough to spende For euer vnto his lyues ende And thus shold euery worthy kyng Take of his knyghtes knowlechyng Whan that he sawe they had nede For euery seruyce axeth mede But other whiche haue not deserued Thorugh vertu but of â—apes serued A kyng shal not deserue grace Though he be large in suche a place Hic ponit exemplum de rege antigo no qualiter dona regia secundum mame et minus equa discrecione moderanda sunt iT sitteth wel euery kyng to haue Discressyon whan men hym craue So that he may his gyfte wyte Wherof I fynde a tale wryte How Ciuichus a power knyght A somme whiche was ouer myght Prayed of his kyng antygonus The kyng answerd to hym thus And said how suche a yefte passeth His power estate and than he lasseth And axeth but a lytel peny Yf that the kyng wold yeue hym ony The kyng answerd it is to smalle For hym that is a lord ryalle To yeue a man so lytel thynge It were vnworshyp in a kyng By this ensaumple a kyng may lere That for to yeue is in manere For yf a kyng his tresour lasseth Without honoure thankelesse passeth Whan he hym self wyl so begyle I note who shal compleyne his whyle Ne who by right hym shal releue But nethelesse this I beleue Nota hic qd regis status a suis fidelibÈ omni fauore supportandus est The whiche with his owne londe Behoueth euery mannes honde To sette vpon necessyte And eke his kynges ryalte Mote euery lyege man comforte With good body to supporte Whan they see cause resonable For who that is not entendable To holde vp right his kynges name Hym ought for to be to blame Nota hic secundum aristotelem qua liter principum prodigalitas pauperta tem induat coâ—nneâ—â— Of polecye euer more To speke in this matere more So as the phylosophre tolde A kyng after the rule is holde To modefye adresse His yeftes vpon suche largesse Seneca sit alijs benefacito vt tibi non noâ—â—gs That the mesure not excede For yf a kyng shal in to nede It causeth ofte sendry thynges Which ben vngoodly to the kynges What man wyl not hym self mesure Men secth ful ofte that mesure Hym hath forsake so doth he That vseth prodygalite Which is the moder of pouerte Wherof the londes ben deserte And namely whan that ylke vyce Aboue a kynge stante in offyce And hath with holde of his partye The cenetous flaterye Which many a worthy kyng deceyueth Or he the fallace perceyueth Of hem that seruen to the glose For they that can plese glose Ben as men tellen
the world forsâ—â— And toke vpon the clothes blake And euer vpon contynueng Right as men see a welle sprynge With eyen ful of wooful treas Hir here hangyng aboute hir eerys She wepte no man wyst whye For yet emonge ful pytouslye She prayed that they nolden dretche Hir husbond for to fetche Forthwyth hir fader eke also Thus they comen bothe two And brutus came with collatyne Which to lucrece was cosyne And in they wenten al thre To chambre where they myght see The woofullest vpon this molde Which wepte as she to water sholde This chambre dore anone was stoke Or they haue ought vnto her spoke They see hir clothes al dysgysed And how she hath hir self despysed Hir heer hangyng vnkempt aboute But nethelesse she gan to lowte And knele vnto hir husbonde And he wold fayne haue vnderstonde The cause why she fared soo With softe wordes axeth tho What may you he my good swete And she which thouÈt hir self vnmete And the leste worthe of wymmen alle Her wooful chere lete doun falle For shame coude vnnethes loke And they therof good hede toke And prayden hir in al weye That she ne spare for to saye Vnto hir frendes what hir ayleth Why she so sore hir self bewayleth And what the sothe wold mene And she which hath hir sorowe grene Hir woo to telle thenne assayeth But tendre shame her worde delayeth That sondry tymes as she mente To speke vpon the poynte she stente And they hir beden euer in one To telle forth there vpon Whan that she sawe she moste nede Hir tale bytwene shame drede She tolde not without peyne And he which wold hir woâ— restreyne Hir husbond a sory man Comforteth hir al that he can And swore eke hir fader bothe That they with hir be not wrothe Of that is do ageynst hir wylle And prayden hir to be stylle For they to hir hane al foryeue But she which thought not to leue Of hem wyl no foryeuenesse And said of thylke vnkyndenesse Which was to hir body wrought Al were it so she myght it nonght Here afterward the world ne shalle Reprouen hir forth with alle Or ony man therof be ware A naked knyf the which she bare Within her mantel priuelye Betwene hir hondes sodaynlye She toke thorugh hir herte it throÌ„ge And fyl to grouÌ„de euer amonge Whan that she fyl so as she myght Hir clothes with hir honde she right That no man dounward fro the knes Shold ony thynge of hir see Thus laye this wyf honestlye Al though she deyed woofullye Tho was no sorowe for to seke Hir husbond hir fader eke A swoune vpon the body felle There may no mannes tonge telle In which anguysshe that they were But brutê° which was with hem there Toward hym self his herte he kepte And to successe anone he lepâ—â— The blody swerde pulleth out And swere the goddes al aboute That he therof shal do vengeâ—unce And she tho made a câ—untenaunce Hâ—â— bâ—dely eye and atte loste In thâ—â— kyng as it were vp caste And so he helde hym in the wyse While she to boke may suffyse And brutus with a manly herte Hir husbond hath made vp stertâ— Forthwyth hyr fader eke also In al haste said than thâ— That they anone without lette A bere for the body fetâ—â— â—ucâ—â—ce there vpon bledyng He lâ—yâ—d so forth without cryeng He goeth vnto the market place Of rome in a litel space Thorugh crye the cyte was assembled And euery maÌ„nes herte trembled Whan they the soth herde of the caâ—s And there vpon the counceyl was Take of the grete of the smale And brutus tolde hem al the tale And thus came in to remembraunce Of synne of the contynnaunce Which arrous had do tofore And eke longe tyme or he were low â—f that his fader had do The â—â—ronge came in to the place thâ— Of that the comyn clamour tolde The newe shame of synnes olde And al the towne began to crye Aweye aweye the tyrannye Of lecherye of couetyse And atte laste in suche a wyse The fader in the same whyle Forthwith the sone they exyle And taken better gouernaunce But yet another remembraunce That rightwisnes lecherye Accorden not in companye With hym that hath the lawe on honde That may a man wel vnderstonde As by a tale thou shalt wyâ—e Of olde ensaumple as it is write Hic ponit exemplum super eodâ—m â—uaâ—â—ter huius virginenâ— dux exâ—â—â—â—tus remancâ—â—m vnicam fikam pulcherimam habens cum quodam nebâ—â—i viâ—â— nomine â—â—cio vt iâ—â—m in vxorem duâ—â—ret finaâ—â—ter concordâ—uit Set interim apius claudius tune â—â—n perator virginis formesitatem vt eam violaret concupiscens occasiones quiê° matrimonij impedire ipsam que ad sui â—â—um apprehendere posset sâ—bdola censpiracione fieri coniectâ—uit et cum propositum sui desiderij productis falsis tâ—stibus in â—udicio â—mperator habere de â—uisset pater tunc ibideÌ„ presens exiâ—â—e to gladio filie sue pectus mortali vulnere per medium transfobit dicens â—a 〈◊〉 michi de filia mea virginem habere mortuam quam in scandalum meretri cem reseruare uiuentem aT Rome whan apyus Who 's other name was claudius Was gouerrnour of the cyte There fyl a wonder to se Touchyng a gentyl mayde as thus Whom lyuyus vyrgyneus Begeten had vpon his wyfe Men sayden that so fayre a lyfe As she was not in al the towne This fame goeth vp and doune And to claudius came in his ere Wherof his thought anone was there Which al his herte hath sette a fyre That he began the floâ—â—e desyre Which longeth vnto maydenâ—â—de And sent yf that he myght spede The blynde lustes of his wylle But that thynge he myght not fulfil For he stode vpon maryage A knyght of ful grete â—â—gnage Ilyaus which than hyght Accordeth in hir faders syght Was that he shold his douÈter wedde But or the cause were fully spedde Hir fader which in romanye The leder of the chyualrye In gouernaunce hath vndertake Vpon a werre which was take Goeth out with al the strengthe he had Of men of armes which he had So was the mariage lefte And stode vpon accorde tyl efte The kyng which herde telle of this How that this mayde ordeyned is To mariage thought another And had thylke tyme a broder Which marcus claudius was hote And was a man of grete ryote Right as the kyng hym self was They two to gyder vpon this caas In couÌ„ceyl founden out this weye That marcus claudius shal saye How she by weye of couenaunte To his seruyce apurtenaunte Was hool to none other man And there vpon he saith he can In euery poynte wytnesse take Sy that sâ—e sâ—al it not forsake Whan that they had shape so After the lawe which was tho While that hir fader was absent She was somned and assent To come in presence of the
His sone Iacob dyd also And of bulam the doughters two Which was his eme he toke to wyfe And gate vpon hem in his lyfe Of hir fyrst which hyght lye Syâ— senes of his progenye And of rachel two sones eke The remenaunt was for to seke That is to sayn of four moo Wherof he gate on bala two And of zelpha he had eke twey And these twelue as I the sey Thorough the prouydence of god hym self Ben said the patriarkes twelf Of whome as afterward byfelle The tribus twelf of Israel Engendred were ben the same That of hebrues tho hadden name Which of syâ—red in alyaunce For euer kepte thylke vsaunce Moost contynuelly tyl cryst was bore But afterward it was folore Emonge vs that ben buptyzed For of the lawe canonyzed The pope hath bode to the men That none shal wedden of his kyn Ne the second ne of the thyrd But yf holy chyrche it bydde So to restreyne mariage There ben yet vpon loues rage Ful many of suche now a day That taken where they take may For loue of which is â—nbeseyn Of al reson as men sayn Thorugh sotye thorugh nycete Of his voluptuosite He spareth no condycyon Of kynne ne of religyon But as a cock emonge the hennes Or â—s a stalon in the fennes Which goes emonge al. the stode Right so can he nomore good But taketh what cometh next to hoÌ„de My sone thou shalt vnderstende That suche delyte is for to blame For thy yf thou hast ben the same To loue in ony suche manere Telle forth therof shryue the here My fader nay god wote the sothe My feyre is not of suche a bothe So wylde a man yet was I neuer That of my kynne or leue or leuer Me lust loue in suche a wyse I note eke for what empryse I shold assote vpon a nonne For though I had hir loue wonne It myght in to no pryce amounte So therof set I none acouute Ye may wel axe of this that But sothely for to telle plat Iu al this world there is but one The which my herte hath ouergone I am toward al other fre Fnl wel my sone now I see Thy word stonte euer vpon a place But yet therof thou hast a grace That though the myght so wel excuse Of loue suche as somme men vse So as I spake of now tofore For al suche tyme of loue is lore And lyke vnto the bytter swete For though it thynke a maÌ„ first swete He shal wel felen atte laste Thai it is soure may not â—aste For as a morcâ—l enuenymed So hath suche loue his lust mystymed And grete ensaumples many one A man may fynde therupon Hic loquitur contra istos quos 〈◊〉 nus sui desiderij feruore inflammar ita incestuosos efficit vt nequam preprijsororibus parcunt Et narrat exempluÌ„ qualiter pro eo qd Gayus Caligula tres sorores suas virgines coitu illicito oppressit deus tanti sceleris peccatum impium non ferens ipsum non solum ab imê‘io set a vita iusticia vindice preliauit Narrat eciam aliud exemplum super eodent qualiter amon filius dauid fatui amoris concupiscenciam preuentus sororem suam thamar a sue virginitatis pudicicia inuitam deflora uit propter qd et ipse a fratre suo ab solon postea interfectus peccatum sue mortis precio inuitus dedemit Trome fyrst yf we begyn Ther shal I fynde how of this syn An emperour was for to blame Gayus Caligula by name Which of his owne susters thre Byrefte the vyrgynyte And whan he had hem so forleyn As he which was al vylayn He dyd hem out of londe exyle But afterward within a whyle God hath byrefte hym in his yre His lyf eke his large empâ—ro And thus for lykyng of a throwe For euer his loue was ouerthrowe Of this soty also I fynde Amon his suster ageyn kynde Which hyght thamare he forleyâ— But he that lust another day A bought whan that absolon His owne broder there vpon Of that he had his suster shente Toke of that synne vengemente And slewe hym with his owne hond And thus the vnkynde vnkynde fond Hic narrat qualiter loth duas filias suas ipsis concencientibus carnaâ— copu la cognouit duos que ex eis filios sci licet moab Amon progenuit quorum postea generacio pratia exasperans contra populum dei in terra saltim promissionis vario grauamine quaÌ„ sepius insultabat aNd for to see more of this thyng The byble maketh knowlechyng Wherof thou myght take euydence Vpon the soth experience Whan bothes wyf was ouergone And shape vnto the salte stone As it is spoke vnto this day By bothe his doughters than he lay With chylde he made hem bothe grete Tyl that nature wold hem lete And so the cause aboute ladde That eche of hem a sone hadde Moab the first the second Amon of which as it is fonde Came afterward to grete encrece Two nacions nethelece For that the stockes were not good The traunches myght not be good For of the false moabytes Forthwith the strengthe of amonytes Of that they were fyrst mysgete The peple of god was ofte vpsete In Israel and in Iudee As in the byble a man may see Lo thus my sone as I the say Thou myght thy self be besay Of that thou haste of other herde For euer yet it hath so ferde Of loues lust yf so byfalle That it in other places falle Than it is of the lawe set He which his loue hath so bysette Mote afterward repente it sore And euery man is other lore Of that befyl in tyme or this The present tyme which now is May be enformed how it stode And take that hym thynke good And leue that which is not so But for to loke of tyme a goo How lust of loue excedeth lawe It ought for to be withdrawe For euery man it shold drede And namelyche in his sybrede Which torneth ofte to vengeauuce Wherof a tale in remembraunce Which is a longe processe to here I thynke for to tellen here Omnibus est communis amor sed et immoderatus Qui facit excessus non reputatur amans Sors tamen vnde venus attractat corda videre Que rationis erunt non ratione sinit Hic loquitur adhuc contra incestuosos amantum coitus Et narrat mirabile exemplum de â—â—â—gno rege antiocho qui vxore mortua propriam filiam violauit et quia filie matrimonium penes alios Impedire voluit tale ab eo exiit edictum quod si quis eam in vxorem peterit nisi quoddam proble nia questionis quam ipse rex proposu erat veraciter solueret capitali sentencia puniretur super quo veniens taÌ„dem discretus iuuenis princeps tiri appolinus questionem soluit Nec tamen filiam habere potuit sed rex indignatus ipsum propter hec in mortis odium recollegit Vnde
To gete ageyn that he hath lore Which she that hath his deth forbore Fortune though he wold not yelpe Al sodeynly hath sente hym helpe Whan hym thought al grace aweye There came a fyssher in the weye And sawe there a naked man stonde And whan that he hath vnderstonde The cause of hym he hath grete routhe And onely of his power trouthe Of suche clothes as he hadde With grete pyte this lord he cladde And he hym thonketh as he sholde And saith hym that it shold be yolde If euer he gete his state ageyn And prayeth that he wold seyn Yf nyghe were ony towne for hym He sayd ye pentopolym Where bothe kyng quene dwellen This tale herde he tellen He gladeth hym and gan beseche That he the weye hym wold teche And he hym taughte forth he wente And to god with good entente To sende hym ioye after his sorowe It is not passed yet mydmorowe Qualiter appollinus pentapolim adue niente ludus a giguasij ê‘ vrbem publice proclamatus est tHan thyderward his weye he nam Where sone vpon the none he came He ete suche as he myght gete And anone forth as he had ete He goeth to see the towne aboute And came there as he fonde a ronte Of yonge lnsty men with alle And as it shold tho byfalle That day was set of suche assyse That they shold in the londes gyse As he herde of the peple seye Her comune game thenne pleye And cryed was that they shold come Bothe to the game al somme Of hem that ben delyner wyght To do suche mastrye as they myght They made hem naked as they shold For so that ylke game wold And it was the custome the vse Amonges hem was none refuse The floure of al the towne was there And of the courte also there were And that was in a large place Ryght euen before the kynges face Which artestraches thenne hyght The pleye was pleyed right in his siÈt And who moste worthy was of dede Reayue he shold his mede And in the cyte bere a pryce Appolynus which was ware wyse Of euery game he coude an ende He thought to assay who so it wende Qualiter appollinus ludum gignasij vâ—nâ—ens in aula regis ad cenam hoâ—onâ—ice receptus est aNd fyl emonge hem vnto game And wan hym there suche a name So as the kyng hym self accounteth That he al other men surmounteth And baâ—e the pryce aboue hem alle The kyng bad that in to his halle At souper tyme he shal be brought And he came than lefte it nought Without companye allone Was none so semelyche a persone Of vysage of lymmes bothe If that he had what to clothe At souper tyme nethelese The kyng amyddes al the prese Lete clepe hem vp emonge hem alle And bad his marchal of his halle To setten hym in suche degre That he vpon hym myght see The kyng was sone sette and serued And he which hath his prise deserued After the kynges owne worde Was made begyn a myddel borde That bothe kyng quene hym sye He sette caste aboute his eye And sawe the lordes in estate He with hym self wexe in debate Thynkyng what he had lore And suche a sorowe he toke therfore That he satte euer stylle thought As he which of no mete rought Qualiter appollinus in cena recum â—ens nichil comedit set dolo roso vultu capite maxime ingemescebat qui tandem a filia regis confortatus citheram plectens cunctis audientibus citherando vltra modum complacuit tHe kyng behelde his heuynrsse And of his grete gentylnesse His doughter which was fayre and â—ood And atte borde byfore hym stode As it was thylke tyme vsage He bad to goo on his message And fonde to make hym glade And she dyd as hir fader bade And goeth to hym the softe paas And axeth whan what he was And prayeth he shold his thouÈtes leue He saith madame by your leue My name is hote appolynus And of my ryches it is thus Vpon the see I haue it lore The contre where as I was bore Where that my londe is my rente I lefte at tyre whan that I wente The worshyp there of which I ought Vnto the god I there betought And thus to gyder as they speke The teeris ranne doun by his cheke The kyng which toke therof good kepe Had grete pyte to see hym wepe And forth his doughter sende ageyn And prayed hir fayr gan to sayn That she wold no lenger dretrhe But that she wold anone forth fetche Hir harpe done al that she can To glade with that sory man And she to done hir faders heste Hir harpe fette in the feste Vpon a chayer which they fette Hir self nexte to this man she sette With harpe bothe eke with mowthe To hym she dyd al that she couthe To make hym chere euer be sygheth And she hym axeth how hym lyketh Madame certeys wel he sayed But yf ye the mesure played Which yf you list I shal you lere It were a gladde thynge for to here A leue syr sayth she Take the harpe lete me see Of what mesure that ye mene Tho prayeth the kyng the quene Forthwith the lordes al arewe That he somme myrthe wold shewe And taketh the harpe in his wyse He tempreth of suche assyse Syngyng he harpeth forth with alle That as a voyâ—e celâ—styalle Hem thought it sowned in her here As though it an aungel were They gladen of his melodye But moste of al the companye The kynges douÈter which it herde And thouÈt eke and that he answerd Whan that it was of hir apposed Within her herte hath wel supposed That he his grete gentylnesse His dedes ben therof wytnesse Forthwyth the wysdom of his lore It nedeth not to sâ—che more He myght not haue suche manere Of gentyl blood but yf he were Whan he hath harpyd al his fylle The kynges heste to fulfylle Awey goeth dysshe aweye goeth cup Doun goeth the borde the cloth was vp They rysen goon out of halle The kyng his chamberleyn lete calle And bad that he by al weye A chambre for this man purueye Which nygh his owne chambre be It shal be do my lord qd he Qualiter appollinus cum rege pro filia sua erudienda retentus est aPpollynus of whom I mene Tho toke his leue of kyng quene And of the worthy mayde also Which prayed vnto hir fader tho That she myght with the yonge man Of tho sciences which he can His lore haue in this wyse The kyng hir graunteth hir apprise So that hym self therto assent Thus was accorded or they went That he with al that euer he may This yonge fayr fresshe may Of that he coude shold enforme And ful assented in this forme Qualiter filia regis appolinum ornato apparatu vestiri fecit Et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quam
stoÌ„de note where I shal lyue or dey For though resoÌ„ ageyn my wyl debate I may not flee that I ne loue algate Vpon my self this ylke tale come How whiloÌ„ Pan which is the god of kynde with sâ—ue wrestled and was euercome For euer I wrasile euer I am behynde That I no strengthe in al my herte fynde wherof I may ston den ony trowe Soo ferre my wytte with loue is ouerthrowe Whom nedeth helpe he mote helpe craue Or helpeles he shal his nede spylle Pleynly thorugh sought my wyttes al I haue But none of hem can helpe after my wylle But also wel I myght sitte stylle As praye vnto my lady of ony helpe Thus wote I not wherof my self to helpe Vnto the grete Ioue yf it byd To do me grace of thylke swete tonne which vnder key in his sâ—lere aâ—yd Lyeth couched that fortune is ouercoÌ„me But of the bitter cuppe I haue begeÌ„ne I note how ofte thus I fynde no game For euer I aske it is the same I see the world stoÌ„deth vpoÌ„â—schauÌ„ge Now wynde lowde â—ow the weder softe I may see eke the grete mone chaunge And thynge whiche now is lowe is â—fto in â—ofte The dredeful wer res in to pees ful ofte They torne euer is daunger in one place whiche wil not chauÌ„ge his wil to do me grace But vpon this grete clerke ouyde Of loue when he maketh his remembrauÌ„ce He saith ther is the blynde cupide The which hath loue vnder his gouernaunce And with his hande many a fyry launce He woundeth ofte there he wyl not hâ—â—e And that somdele is cause of my quarele Ouyde sayth eke that loue to parfourme Stante in the hoâ—de of venus the goddesse But whan she taketh hir counceyl with satourne There is no grace and in that tyme I gesse Began my loue of which myn heuynesse Is now euer shal but I spede So wote I not my self what is to rede For thy to you cupyde venus bothe with al my hertes obeysaunce I praye If ye were atte fyrst tyme wrothe whan I began to loue I you say Now stynte do thilke fortune away So that daunger whiche stondeth of retynewe wyth alle my lady hys place may renewe O thou cupyde god of loues lawe That with thy darte brennyng hast sette a fyre My herte so that wounde wythdrawe Or yeue me salue suche as I desyre For seruyce in thy courte wythouten hyre To me whiche euer yet hath kepte thyn heste May neuer be to loues lawe honeste O thou gentyl venus loues kynde quene without gylte thou doest oâ— me thy wreche Thou wotest my peyn is euer elyche grene For loue yet I may it not areche Thus wolde I for my laste word byseche That thou my loue acquyte as I deserue Or ellys do me playnly for to sterue Hic loquitur qualiter venus accepta amantis supplicacione indilate ad singula respondit wHen I thys supplicacion With good deliberacion In suche a wyse as ye now wyte Had after myn enteute wryte Vnto cupyde venus This preest which hyght Genyus It toke on honde to presente On my message forth he wente To venus for to wyte hir wylle And I bode in the place stylle And bode there but a lytel whyle Not fully the mountenauÌ„ce of a myle Whom I behelde sodeynly I sawe where venus stode me by So as I myght vnder a tree To grounde I felle vpon my kneâ— And preyed hir for to do me grace She cast hir chere vpon my face And as it were haluyng a game She axeth me what was my name Madame I said Iohan gower Now Iohan qd she in my power Thou must as of thy loue stonde For I thy wylle haue vnderstonde In which to cupyde to me Somdele thou hast compleyned the And somdele to nature also But that shal stonde emonge ye two For therof haue I not to done For nature is vnder the mone Maystresse of euery lyues kynde But yf so be that she may fynde SoÌ„me holy man that wil withdrawe His kyndely lust ageyn her lawe But selde whan it falleth so For fewe men ther ben of tho But of thyse other ynough there be Which of her owne nycete Ageyn nature hir offyce Delyten hem in sondry wyse Whâ—rof that she ful ofte hath pleyned And eke my courte it hath dysdeyned And euer shal for it recâ—yueth None suche that kynde so dysceyueth For al onelyâ—he on genty â—loue My court stont al courtes aboue And taketh not in toâ—retinewe But thynge whiche is to kynde delbe For ellys it shal be refused Wherof I holde the excused For it is many dayes gone That thou emonge hem were oue Which of my courte hast be withholde So that the more I am beholde For thy dyscase to comune And to renewe that fortune Which many dayes hath the greued But of my counceyl may be leued Thou shalt be esed or thou goo Of thylke vnsely ioly woo Wherof than sayest thyn herte is fyred But of that thou hast desyred After the sentence of thy bylle Thâ—u must â—o therof at my wylle And I therof me wyl aduyse And be thou hole it shal suffyse My medecyn is not to seke Tâ—â— which is holsem to the seke Not al perchaunce as ye it wolde But so as ye by reson sholde Accordaunt vnto loues kynde For in the plyte which I the fynde So as my courte it hath awarded Thou shalt be duely rewarded And yf thou woldest more craue It is no right that thou it haue Qui cupit id quod habere nequit sua tempora perdit Est vbi non posse bâ—lle salute caret Non estatis opus geâ—â—dis hirsuta capillos Cum calor abcâ—ssit equiparabit hiemps Sicut habet mayus non dat natura decembri Nec poterit compar floribus esse lutuÌ„ Sic neqÈ decrepita senium iuuenile vo luptas Floret in obsequium quod venus ipsa petit Coueniens igitur foret nec qd â—â—ua senectus Attigit veterius corpora casta colâ—nt Hic coÌ„tra quoscuÌ„qÈ viros inue teratos amoris concupiscenciam affectans loqÌ„tur venus huius qÈ amantis confessi suppstcationem quasi deridens ipsum ê“ eo qd senexit debilis est multis exortutionibus insufficientem redargu it vEnê° which stonte with out lawe In none certeyn but as men drawe Of ragman vpon the chaunce She leyeth no peyse in the balaunce But as hir lyketh for to weye The trewe man ful ofte alle weye She put which hath hir grace bede And sette an vntrewe in his stede Lo thus blyndely the world she demeth In loues cause as to me semeth I note what other men shold seyn But I algate am so beseyn And stonde as one emongest alle Which am out of his grace falle It nedeth take no wytnesse For she which said is the goddesse To whether parte of loue it weâ—de Hath set me for a fynal ende The poynte wherto that I shal holde
telle me nay or ye To passe oueâ— the grete see To werre slee a SaraÈyn Is that the lawe Sone myn To preche suffre for the feyth That I haue herd the gospel seyth But for to slee that here I nought Cryst with his owne deth hath bought Al other men made hem fre In tokne of parfyte charyte And after that he taught hym selue When he was dede these other twelue Of his apostles went aboute The holy feyth to preche oute Wherof the deth in sondry place They suffre so god of his grace The feyth of Cryst hath made aryse But yf they wold in other wyse By werre haue bought in the creauÌ„ce It had yet stonde in balaunce And that may prouen in the dede For what man the Cronykes rede Fyrst that holy chirche hath weyued To preche hath the swerd receyued Wherof the werres be begonne A grete partye of that was wonne Of Crystes feyth stant now myswent God doo therof amendement So as he wote what is the best But sone yf thou wylt lyue in rest Of conscyence wel assysed Er that thou slee be wel auysed For man as tellen vs the clerkes Hath god aboue al erthely werkes Ordeyned to be pryncypal And eke of soule in specyal He is made lyche to the godhede So syt it wel to taken hede And for to loke on euery syde Er that thou falle in homycyde Whiche synne is now so general That it wel nye stant oueral In holy chirche elles where But al the whyle it is so there The wdorl mote nede fare amys For when the â–ª whele of pyte is Thorugh couetyse of worldes good Defouled with shedyng of bloâ—d The remenaunt of folk aboute Vnnethe stonden in ony doute To werre eche other to slee So is it al not worth a stre The charyte wherof we prechen For we do no thyng as we techen And thus the blynde conscyence Of peâ—â— hath lost thylk euydence Whiche cryst vpon the erthe taught Now may meÌ„ see mordre manslauÈt Lyche as is by dayes olde Whan men the synnes bought solde In grece afore Crystes feyth I rede as the Cronyke seyth Touchend af this mater thus In thylk tyme how peleus His owne broder Phocus slough But he had gold ynough To them his synne was dyspensed With gold wherof it was compensed Achastê° whiche with Venus was Her pryest assoylled in that cas Al were there no repentaunce And as the bokes make remembrauÌ„ce It tellyth of Medâ—e also Of that she slough her sones two Egeus in the same plyte Hath made hyr of hyr synne quyte The sone eke of Amphyoras Who 's ryght name Almeus was His moder slough Eryphele But Achylo the prest he So as the bokes it recorden For certayne somme of gold acorden That thylk horryble synful dede Assoylled was thus for mede Of worldes goode it fallyth ofte That homycyde is set alofte Here in this lyf but after this There shal be knowe how that it is Of hem that suche thynges wyrche And how also that holy chirche Lete suche synnes passe quyte How they wol hem acquyte Of dedely werres that they make For who that wold ensample take The lawe whiche is naturel By weye of kynde the weth wel That homycyde in no degre Whiche werreth ayene charyte Among men shold not duelle For a foer that the bokes telle To sâ—che in al the world ryche Men shal not fynde one his lyche No best that wyl take his preye And syth kynde hath suche a weye Than it is wondre of a man Whiche kynde hath reson can That he wol eyther more or lasse His kynde reson ouerpasse And slee that is to hym semblable So is the man not resonable He kynde that is not honeste When he is worse than a beste Nota secundum Solinum contra hoâ—â—iadium de natura cuiusdam aius faciâ—m ad similitudinem humanam habentis qiu cum de preda sua hominem myta flauium occident â–ª vident que in aqua sunile sibi occisum statim pro delo 〈◊〉 moritur aMong the bokes which I finde Solinê° speketh of a woÌ„dre kinde And seith of foules ther is on Whiche hath a face of bloood bone Whiche to a man in resemblaunce And yf it falle hym so par chaunce As he whiche is a foule of pray That he a man fynde in his way He wold hym slee yf that he mâ—y But after ward the same day When he hath eten al his felle And that shal be besyde a welle In whiche he wol drynke take In whiche visage he seeth the make That he hath slayne anone he thynketh Of his mysdede it forthynketh So gretely that for pure sorowe He lyueth not tyl on the morowe By this ensample it may wel se we That men shal homycyde eschewe For euer is mercy good to take But yf the lawe it hath forsake And that Iustyce is them ageyne Fnl oftyme I haue herd seyne Amonges that werres hadden That they som whyle her cause ladden By mercy when they myÈt haue slayn Wherof that they were after fayn And sone yf that thou wolt recorde The vertu of myserycorde Thou syghe neuer thylk place Where it was vsed lak grace For euery lawe euery kynde The mannes wyt to mercy bynde And namely the worthy knyghtes When they stonde moost vpryghtes And ben most myghty for to greue They sholden thenne most releue Hym whome they myÈten ouerthrowe As by ensample may men knowe Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum de pietate contra homicidium Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum Thephalo filio suo contra Regem Mesee qui tunc Theucer vocabatur bellum inicrunt Et cum Achilles dietum Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset Thephalê° pietate motus ipsum Clipeo cooperiens veniam pro Rege a patre postulauit ê“ quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluÌ„tate constituit hE may not faylen of his mede That hath mercy for this I rede In a Cronyke I fynd thus Whan Achilles with Telaphus His sone to ward Troye were It fel hem or they come there Ayene Thoucer the kyng of mese To make warre for to lese His lond as they that wolde regne And Theucer pnt oute of his regne Thus the marches they assaylle But Theucer yaf to hem bata ylle They foughten on bothe sydes faste But so happeth at the laste This worthy greke Achilles The kyng among al other ches As he that was cruel felle With swerd on hond on hym he felle And smote hym with a dethes wouÌ„de That he vnhorced fel to grounde Achilles vpon hym alyght And wold anone as he wel myght Haue slayn hym in the place But Thephalus his fadre grace For hym besought for pyte Prayth that he wold late hym be And cast his sheld bytwene hem two Achilles axeth hym why so And Thephalus his cause tolde